The reality for women seeking abortion in Alabama and Georgia

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But even before that, reproductive rights advocates said that a network of laws and logistics already made it difficult to practice abortions in these states.

When most people think of the right to abortion, they think about Roe v. Wade. But when it comes to access to abortion, the case to consider is Planned Parenthood v. Casey, who challenged the changes made to the Pennsylvania abortion law in the late 1980s.

The 1992 Supreme Court decision reaffirmed the right to abortion while allowing restrictions in Pennsylvania's legislation, such as waiting times, parental consent and disclosure. information by a doctor before a woman can request an abortion.

Opinion 5-4 also introduced the overload test to determine whether a law creates a significant barrier to the path of a woman seeking to abort a non-viable fetus.
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Using the standard, the court overturned the provision in the Pennsylvania Spousal Notification Act. It also led the Supreme Court in 2016 to overturn two key provisions of a Texas law requiring abortion providers to have the privilege of admitting their privileges in local hospitals and clinics in order to modernize their facilities to adapt them to hospital standards. And this test could be part of the legal challenges of the new laws of Alabama and Georgia.
Georgian law would prohibit abortion after detection of fetal heart rate, which can take up to six weeks after the start of pregnancy. The measure of Alabama virtually prohibits abortions, even cases of rape and incest.

But laws are only part of the calculation of a woman's ability to have an abortion. And while gestational limitations are yet to come into effect, the following considerations will continue to impact women seeking abortions in Alabama, Georgia, and other states.

Access to facilities

Most abortion clinics in Georgia and Alabama are in and around metropolitan areas, creating financial and logistical challenges for women living outside these areas who have to travel to the centers.

Alabama has five clinics spread over an area of ​​52,419 square miles: one in Birmingham, Huntsville, Tuscaloosa, Mobile and Montgomery.
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In 2014, 59% of women lived in Alabama counties without a clinic, compared with 39% in the rest of the United States, said Elizabeth Nash, state affairs manager for the think tank. on reproductive rights, Guttmacher Institute.

Only one Alabama clinic is open on weekends, which means that a woman may be forced to leave work, arrange child care and possibly stay overnight because of mandatory and waiting times.

CNN has reached Georgia for the number of clinics across the country. According to Guttmacher, 58% of women in 2014 lived in counties without one.

Gestational limitations – such as those adopted in Georgia and Alabama – make access even more difficult. They can force women to travel to other states if they exceed the limit of their place of residence, which can increase their costs and delay care.

Advice and waiting periods prescribed by the State

All 50 states require the patient's consent prior to medical treatment for the decision to be voluntary and informed.

In addition to the counseling requirements, Alabama and Georgia require that patients wait at least 24 hours between session and abortion.
The waiting period can create additional financial and logistical difficulties for some women, Nash said. And a US government accountability study found that mandatory counseling can include information that tries to dissuade women from having an abortion.
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In Alabama, the waiting period requires two appointments and two visits to a health care provider. A woman must undergo an ultrasound during her visit and the provider must offer her the chance to see the image.
In Georgia, the duty of advice is waived in case of medical emergency and a patient may receive the information by phone or through a website.
Counseling booklets in Alabama and Georgia describe the characteristics of development, methods and risks of abortion, as well as other resources, such as adoption.

Fees and insurance restrictions

Some women delay the process until they have the time or the means to proceed. The delay may increase travel costs if a woman exceeds the pregnancy limit in her states, and may mean that she has to undergo a surgical abortion rather than a medical one.

Insurance would help cover costs, especially for low-income families. However, several states, including Georgia and Alabama, impose restrictions on private insurance coverage against abortion and plans sold on the market under the Affordable Care Act.

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In Georgia, state exchange projects can only cover abortion in cases where the life or health of the woman is in danger. In Alabama, health plans regarding state exchange can only cover abortion in cases of life-threatening, rape or incest.

Similar federal restrictions have existed since 1977, the date of entry into force of the Hyde Amendment.

Hyde prohibits the use of federal funds for abortions, except in cases of life-threatening, rape or incest through federal-US Medicaid programs for low-income women.

Some states choose to use their own funds to cover abortions in other circumstances, but not Alabama or Georgia.

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