Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey has signed a new law that removes restrictions on abortions performed after 24 weeks of pregnancy. The legislation, known as the Prioritizing Patient Access to Care Act, replaces previous statutes that limited later-term abortions to cases involving the mother's life or health, or severe fetal diagnoses. The new standard allows abortions at any stage of pregnancy based solely on a physician's professional judgment.
Healey, surrounded by supporters, stated that the law is intended to protect women. However, critics argue that the previous law already provided protections for women facing dire circumstances, and the new legislation does not add further protections. Instead, it removes the specific statutory conditions that governed abortions at 24 weeks and beyond.
The law's passage has drawn attention to the gestational age of 24 weeks. At this stage of pregnancy, fetuses have developed features such as a fully formed face, fingerprints, and a heartbeat audible for months. Lungs are still maturing, but inner ears are developed enough to hear sounds, and fetuses respond to touch and sound. This point in pregnancy is also considered around the time of viability, when a premature infant has a chance of survival outside the womb with intensive neonatal care.
Polling data indicates that the removal of these restrictions deviates from public consensus. A Harvard-Harris poll found that 72% of Americans believe abortion should be limited to 15 weeks or earlier, with only 10% supporting abortion up to nine months of pregnancy. The new Massachusetts law aligns with the policies of a small number of other Democratic-run states.
Opponents of the law contend that it severs a connection between women and the maternal instincts that guide care for a child. They argue that the decision-making process regarding a pregnancy should not be treated as a choice that ends simply because it is no longer desired, nor should a mother's obligation be considered subject to a physician's discretion.