{"id":241200,"date":"2021-03-06T13:37:51","date_gmt":"2021-03-06T19:37:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=241200"},"modified":"2021-03-06T13:41:59","modified_gmt":"2021-03-06T19:41:59","slug":"removing-barriers-south-australia-decriminalizes-abortion-birth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/removing-barriers-south-australia-decriminalizes-abortion-birth\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Removing all barriers’: South Australia decriminalizes abortion up to birth"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

According to the Australian Associated Press<\/a>, South Australia’s upper house has formally decriminalized abortion, making it legal up until birth. The state had already allowed abortion but with restrictions.<\/p>\n

The Termination of Pregnancy Bill<\/a> passed the upper house on Tuesday after previously passing in the lower house in February by a vote of 29 to 15. It was then sent back to the upper house for final approval and was passed.<\/p>\n

Abortion in South Australia will now be treated as an issue of health care, not a criminal one. Abortion will be legal without restrictions up to 22 weeks and six days gestation, though babies born as young as 21 weeks<\/a> are able to survive outside the womb with medical support. One medical practitioner will be allowed to decide to commit an abortion before 22 weeks and six days.<\/p>\n

After 22 weeks and six days, a medical practitioner will be able to commit an abortion only if they consult with another practitioner and both agree that the abortion is ‘medically necessary’. Reasons may include risk to the mother’s life or physical or mental health, in cases of fetal diagnosis, or to “save another foetus.” Abortion \u2014 which is the intentional killing of a preborn human being \u2014 is never medically necessary<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

READ:\u00a0Micro-preemie born at 22 weeks survives after parents transfer hospitals<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n