Frequently Asked Questions

If you’re 20 weeks, 6 days pregnant or less, it is legal for you to get an abortion in North Carolina. Although North Carolina bans abortion after 20 weeks, 6 days, many providers stop offering abortion earlier in pregnancy.

One or more laws that restrict or ban abortion access in North Carolina may go into effect because of a 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling. We’re tracking the situation closely.

Millions of people face unplanned pregnancies every year, and about 4 out of 10 of them decide to get an abortion. Some people with planned pregnancies also get abortions because of health or safety reasons. Overall, about 1 in 4 women in the U.S. will have an abortion by the time they’re 45 years old.

Sometimes, the decision is simple. Other times, it’s complicated. But either way, the decision to have an abortion is personal, and you’re the only one who can make it.

Everyone has their own unique and valid reasons for having an abortion. Some of the many different reasons people decide to end a pregnancy include:

• They want to be the best parent possible to the kids they already have.
• They’re not ready to be a parent yet.
• It’s not a good time in their life to have a baby.
• They want to finish school, focus on work, or achieve other goals before having a baby.
• They’re not in a relationship with someone they want to have a baby with.
• They’re in an abusive relationship or were sexually assaulted.
• The pregnancy is dangerous or bad for their health.
• The fetus won’t survive the pregnancy or will suffer after birth.
• They just don’t want to be a parent.

Source:Planned Parenthood

17 states and the District of Columbia have laws that protect the right to abortion.
They are:
California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia,
Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington

Source: 2023 Guttmacher Institute. The Guttmacher Institute is registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization under the tax identification number 13-2890727. 

Yes. Abortion is legal in North Carolina. However, North Carolina bans abortion after 20 weeks, 6 days of pregnancy and has some other restrictions on abortion access. To figure out how far along you are in pregnancy, count from the first day of your last period.

But, one or more laws that restrict or ban abortion access in North Carolina may go into effect because of a 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling.

 

Source: AbortionFinder.org features the most comprehensive directory of trusted (and verified) abortion service providers in the United States.

Yes. North Carolina requires a pregnant person to get counseling from their abortion provider then wait 72 hours before getting an abortion. This waiting period can be waived if your health is at risk because of the pregnancy. When booking an appointment, ask health center staff if counseling can be done remotely (over the phone or online) so you can avoid making multiple trips.

 

Source: AbortionFinder.org features the most comprehensive directory of trusted (and verified) abortion service providers in the United States.

Legal abortion performed by a certified health care provider is very safe, just like many other common outpatient procedures. The rate of major complications is low, at 0.23%, which is similar to the rate of major complications caused by colonoscopies. And it actually has a lower rate of complications than wisdom tooth removal. The earlier in pregnancy you get an abortion, the lower the chances are of complications.

Abortion doesn’t cause long-term health risks or affect your chances of getting pregnant in the future.

 

Source: AbortionFinder.org features the most comprehensive directory of trusted (and verified) abortion service providers in the United States.

A medical Abortion can happen if you are under 10 weeks gestation you may be able to have a medical abortion , also known as “the abortion pill”. This requires a visit to the clinic for your ultrasound and the first set of pills. You will then be sent home with a second set of pills to take 24-48 hours after your initial visit. Some people prefer the privacy and at-home availability a medical abortion offers.

Surgical abortion that may be available to you that are all done in-clinic. People may prefer this option as the entire procedure is completed under the care of your provider and does not require additional medication. The aftercare is similar for each procedure.

 

Source: AbortionFinder.org features the most comprehensive directory of trusted (and verified) abortion service providers in the United States.

Both in-clinic abortion and abortion pills are very safe and very common. Millions of people have had abortions with no health problems at all. The rate of complications for abortion is very low — about the same as other procedures you’d have at the gynecologist’s office, and it’s safer than getting your wisdom teeth out.

Source:Planned Parenthood

Viability is the stage of pregnancy when a fetus has developed enough that it is able to survive outside the uterus with medical help. It usually happens around 24 to 26 weeks of pregnancy, but it depends on how the fetus is developing and can be different for every pregnancy. A health care provider can determine whether a pregnancy has reached viability.

 

Source: AbortionFinder.org features the most comprehensive directory of trusted (and verified) abortion service providers in the United States.

While sexual rights and reproductive rights are often interlinked, there are distinctions. Most people who have sex do so for reasons other than reproduction alone. In fact, sexuality is far more than a matter of physiological or sexual activity. Additionally, the development of assisted reproductive technologies means that reproduction can occur outside of the context of sexual activity. Nevertheless, sexual and reproductive rights are indivisible and must be upheld and protected equally by states. Realization of sexual and reproductive rights is an essential component to the realization of human rights more broadly.

 

Source: BODY POLITICS – Amnesty International.