Changes

Abortions then increased dramatically in the United States, from a few hundred thousand per year to more than a million per year.

Abortions then increased dramatically in the United States, from a few hundred thousand per year to more than a million per year.

In the late 1980s, the pro-life movement shifted to a different, more effective approach, one that was based on federalism.  Pro-lifers passed laws at the State level to require more safeguards before an abortion could be performed.  A 24-hour waiting period, for example, was required by some States to ensure that the mother was not making her decision too quickly.  Laws were passed to require that more information be provided to women prior to having an abortion.  The numbers of abortions began to decrease as these new State laws took effect.

In the late 1980s, the pro-life movement shifted to a different, more effective approach, one that was based on federalism.  Pro-lifers passed laws at the State level to require more safeguards before an abortion could be performed.  A 24-hour waiting period after visiting an abortion clinic, for example, was required by some States to ensure that the mother was not making her decision too quickly.  Laws were passed to require that more information be provided to women prior to having an abortion.  The numbers of abortions began to decrease as these new State laws took effect.

In 2013, a special session of the Texas legislature passed a law prohibiting abortion by any physician who lacked admitting privileges at a hospital located within 30 miles of the abortion, so that he could help with any complications that his operation caused.  Most abortion clinics do not take care of the harm they cause to the women.  The clinics appealed all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court to block this law from going into effect, but the Supreme Court did not block it.  This law went into effect, and about half the abortion clinics in Texas then closed because they were not in compliance with it.

In 2013, a special session of the Texas legislature passed a law prohibiting abortion by any physician who lacked admitting privileges at a hospital located within 30 miles of the abortion, so that he could help with any complications that his operation caused.  Most abortion clinics do not take care of the harm they cause to the women.  The clinics appealed all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court to block this law from going into effect, but the Supreme Court did not block it.  This law went into effect, and about half the abortion clinics in Texas then closed because they were not in compliance with it.