What are the abortion laws in North Carolina in 2024?

Iris Seaton, Asheville Citizen Times

Changes to abortion laws in North Carolina — and all across the country — have left many feeling uncertain about the current legislation.

Here's a rundown of the current laws on obtaining an abortion in N.C., including the most recent Senate Bill 20, which, among other things, reduced the number of weeks of pregnancy allowed for an abortion.

What is the NC 'Woman's Right to Know' law?

The North Carolina's Woman's Right to Know Act of 2011 made informed consent and a mandatory 24-hour waiting period for abortion required by law. The law's name comes from the idea that it would allow women to make an informed choice on abortion.

The act also made it mandatory for an ultrasound to be performed and explained no less than four hours and no more than 72 hours before the abortion. The act titled "Woman's Right to Know" was renamed "Abortion Laws" when Senate Bill 20 was approved.

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What are the latest NC abortion laws?

Asheville's Planned Parenthood clinic.
Asheville's Planned Parenthood clinic.

Senate Bill 20 went into effect July 1, 2023. Planned Parenthood explains that the bill bans reduces the time allowed for an abortion from 20 weeks to 12 weeks. An in-person counseling appointment at least three days prior to the abortion procedure is also required, and a follow-up appointment for medication abortion patients seven to 14 days after the abortion.

Planned Parenthood also said that the bill creates more barriers for patients seeking abortion. The ACLU of North Carolina and Planned Parenthood South Atlantic consulted medical and legal experts to analyze the bill language and found that Senate Bill 20 adds a multitude of new measures that will restrict access to abortion across the board, including:

  • Increases difficulty required in obtaining a medication abortion — the most common form of abortion in the state — by:

    • Preventing abortion providers from providing medication abortion after 10 weeks of pregnancy, cutting access to care by one week (from 11 to 10 weeks).

    • Requiring patients to have at least 2 and potentially 3 in-person visits for a medication abortion, which will be a significant and potentially insurmountable barrier for many patients. This change is contrary to FDA guidelines that allow medication abortions to be prescribed via telehealth.

  • Authorizes the imposition of new, medically unnecessary clinic facility rules that could be impossible for certain clinics to comply with and have a devastating impact on access to care.

  • Forces patients to listen to state-mandated, non-scientific, anti-abortion counseling and creates more paperwork for the patient, neither of which have any medical benefit.

  • Adds a requirement suggesting real-time ultrasound must be forced on the patient — even over the patient’s objection and even if the patient covers their eyes — a measure previously passed by the North Carolina General Assembly that has been permanently blocked by the courts.

  • Creates myriad new reporting requirements that could compromise patient confidentiality and provider safety.

For more key findings from the Planned Parenthood study, visit their dedicated webpage.

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When is abortion legal in NC?

Planned Parenthood also explained on their website that abortion is legal in N.C. in the following circumstances:

  • In the first 12 weeks of pregnancy for nearly any reason (abortions for reasons of sex, race or Down Syndrome diagnosis are prohibited).

  • During any point in the pregnancy if there is a medical emergency that places the woman at risk of death or risk of loss of a major bodily function. A medical emergency doesn’t include psychological or mental health emergencies.

  • In cases of rape or incest through the 20th week of pregnancy.

  • When a life-limiting fetal anomaly has been diagnosed through the 24th week of pregnancy.

Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Abortion laws in NC 2024, Woman's Right to Know

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