No, Roe v. Wade didn’t restrict late-term abortion

When it comes to knowing the facts, abortion advocates are a mixed bag. Some are well informed. Others?

Not so much.

Many assume late-term abortion is generally illegal. It’s not. While Roe v. Wade held that abortion could be outlawed after the second trimester (changed to viability in Planned Parenthood v. Casey), there was no obligation to do so. Currently, federal law doesn’t restrict when an abortion can take place.

Some states don’t either. In New Mexico, Southwestern Women’s Options will perform abortions at up to twenty seven weeks for women who didn’t realize how far along they were.

Inhuman: Undercover in America's Late-Term Abortion Industry - New Mexico

What does that look like? Dr. Anthony Levatino can shed some light. Dr. Levatino is an obstetrician-gynecologist who performed over 1,200 abortions in the past, and in the video below, he explains what a third trimester induction abortion consists of.

3rd Trimester Induction Abortion: Injection and Stillbirth

Day 1: To help ensure the baby will be delivered dead and not alive, the abortionist uses a large needle to inject digoxin or potassium chloride through the woman’s abdomen or vagina, targeting the baby’s heart, torso, or head. When the digoxin takes effect, the lethal dose causes a fatal cardiac arrest, and the baby’s life will end. (Even if the needle misses the baby, digoxin can still kill the baby when released into the amniotic sack, but will usually take longer to kill the child.)

During the same visit, the abortionist inserts multiple laminaria sticks, or sterilized seaweed, to open up the woman’s cervix.

Day 2: The abortionist replaces the laminaria and may perform a second ultrasound to ensure that the baby is dead. If the child is still alive, the abortionist administers a second lethal dose of digoxin or potassium chloride. During this visit, the abortionist may administer labor-inducing drugs.

The woman goes back to where she is staying while her cervix continues to dilate. The woman will usually wait a period of two to four days for her cervix to dilate enough for her to deliver the dead baby.

Day 3 or 4: The woman returns to the clinic to deliver her dead baby. If she goes into labor before she can make it to the abortion clinic in time, she will deliver her baby at home or in a hotel room. During this time, a woman may be advised to sit on a bathroom toilet until the abortionist arrives. If she can make it to the clinic, she will do so during her most heavy and severe contractions and deliver the dead baby.

For abortions between thirteen and twenty-four weeks (usually considered the point of viability), a method known as dilation and evacuation (D&E) is used. As you hear Dr. Levatino’s description, keep in mind that there’s evidence a baby can feel pain at twenty weeks.

2nd Trimester Surgical Abortion: Dilation and Evacuation (D & E)

After the amniotic fluid is removed, the abortionist uses a sopher clamp — a grasping instrument with rows of sharp “teeth” — to grasp and pull the baby’s arms and legs, tearing the limbs from the child’s body.

The abortionist continues to grasp intestines, spine, heart, lungs, and any other limbs or body parts. The most difficult part of the procedure is usually finding, grasping and crushing the baby’s head.

After removing pieces of the child’s skull, the abortionist uses a curette to scrape the uterus and remove the placenta and any remaining parts of the baby.

Why would a D&E happen? Gary Cross had Planned Parenthood arrange one when he got his thirteen year-old step daughter pregnant (her mother noticed she was gaining weight). It allowed him to keep right on abusing her.

This little guy’s name is Trevor Frolek. Delivered at twenty three weeks, doctors worked hard to save his life. Others would have worked to kill him. If you see something wrong with that, tell your legislators to protect pain-capable children. Because while people might think late-term abortion is already illegal, they’re mistaken.

Let’s change that.