Indiana legislation banning most abortions goes into impact

CHICAGO (CBS) – Most abortions are actually unlawful in Indiana with a brand new legislation going into impact on Thursday.

The legislation makes exceptions for when the mom’s life is in danger, or if there is a severe well being danger for the mom. It additionally permits for exceptions in circumstances of rape or incest within the first 10 weeks.

But as CBS 2’s Chris Tye came upon, one of many different uncomfortable side effects is including stress on Illinois abortion clinics that are already overloaded.

It’s unclear what number of sufferers shall be coming to Illinois for abortion care from Indiana, however when Wisconsin banned abortions earlier this yr, Planned Parenthood of Illinois noticed a ten-fold improve in sufferers coming from Wisconsin for care.

As a results of the news, Planned Parenthood of Illinois is increasing service of their downstate Champaign workplaces.

In Indiana, some clinics like one in South Bend introduced they may keep open. They will proceed to offer care, however not abortion companies.

The clinics are attempting to assist sufferers discover and fund out-of-state entry to abortion and, in lots of circumstances, which means going to Illinois.

For many, the closest state shall be Michigan, however for an enormous variety of sufferers, Illinois shall be their most suitable choice. Illinois has additionally seen an inflow of sufferers from Iowa, Wisconsin, Kentucky, and Missouri.

“This is just going to put more pressure on the clinics that are already over-extended,” mentioned Sharon Lau, of Whole Woman’s Health Alliance. “It’s going to result in basically some cases of patients not being able to get services, most likely.”

Also on Thursday, U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois) pushed again laborious on efforts by Republican senators Marco Rubio (R-Florida) and Lindsay Graham (R-South Carolina) to embrace a federal abortion ban after 15 weeks.

“This proposal makes obvious that republicans never really wanted to leave women’s right to the states like they have told the American people,” Duckworth mentioned.

Opponents of the legislation are additionally involved the abortion ban will solely worsen Indiana’s rating because the third-worst within the nation for maternal mortality charges.