Debunking Abortion Myths: A Closer Look at Fact vs. Fiction

The issue of reproductive rights has come to the forefront in the first post-Roe presidential election. Potential Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, a staunch advocate for reproductive rights, faces off against former Republican President Donald Trump. Trump’s three U.S. Supreme Court appointees played a significant role in overturning federal abortion rights. Additionally, Trump’s former health staffers have put forth the anti-abortion policy blueprint, Project 2025, through the Heritage Foundation. However, Trump, his running mate Ohio U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, and numerous GOP candidates have sought to soften their stance on abortion while promoting the narrative that equates abortion to dangers for women and infanticide.

As the election season intensifies, understanding the truths behind common myths about abortion remains crucial.

1. Abortion is safe.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) affirmed in a 2018 review that complications from abortion are rare, significantly less than those from pregnancy and childbirth. The anti-abortion movement’s claims that abortions are more hazardous than childbirth lack credibility and legal standing. Despite an attempt to challenge the FDA approval of the abortion drug mifepristone, it remains classified as “dangerous” only by specific state laws, such as the upcoming one in Louisiana.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, medication abortion became the predominant method since 2020, with a 99% completion rate and minimal major complications.

2. Abortion can reduce health risks and infertility and save lives.

Certain conditions during pregnancy, like ectopic pregnancies and severe preeclampsia, pose significant risks to the pregnant person. These conditions may necessitate abortion to prevent death, serious health issues, or future infertility. Anti-abortion advocates often acknowledge this but advocate riskier procedures like C-sections instead of less invasive abortions.

3. Abortion is not infanticide.

Claims that equate abortion with infanticide are misleading. Allegations of “post-birth” abortions by figures like Trump misrepresent the facts, as any act after birth would legally be considered murder, not abortion.

4. “Late-term” and “partial-birth” abortions are political terms not grounded in science.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that over 93% of abortions occur in the first trimester. Less than 1% take place after 21 weeks, often involving complex circumstances. Terms like “late-term” and “partial-birth” abortions lack medical grounding and are used for political narratives.

The GOP platform’s national stance opposes these so-called “late-term abortions,” while misleadingly labeling certain procedures as “partial-birth,” which are already federally banned.

5. Abortion exceptions for rape, incest, fetal anomalies, and health risks do not exist in most states where abortion is totally banned.

Despite claims to support exceptions, many states with near-total abortion bans do not include them. Only a few states, like Indiana and North Dakota, make exceptions for rape and incest survivors, highlighting the lack of practical support for these cases.

6. The terms “heartbeat bill” and “six-week abortion bans” are misleading.

States like Florida and Georgia have enacted laws banning abortion upon detecting embryonic cardiac activity, often termed as “heartbeat bills.” However, experts argue that the heart isn’t fully developed at this stage. The six-week ban terminology is also misleading as it may represent a shorter period than many realize.

7. The GOP platform contradicts promises to leave abortion to the states and to protect IVF.

While the Republican “Make America Great Again!” policy platform claims to support birth control and IVF, it concurrently supports “fetal personhood.” Legal experts warn this could criminalize pregnancies and affect abortion, contraception, and IVF access.

Concerns about access to IVF have risen after the Alabama Supreme Court’s ruling that embryos are “children,” causing some clinics to close temporarily. The future of national IVF access remains uncertain.

8. Emergency contraceptives are not abortifacients but could be impacted by personhood laws.

Emergency contraceptives like Plan B and ella prevent ovulation and are not abortifacients. Despite outdated labels and opposition from anti-abortion activists, scientific evidence supports that these contraceptives don’t affect an established pregnancy.

Project 2025 proposes excluding ella from ACA-covered contraceptives, reflecting continued tensions over reproductive health policies.