Open Journal Systems

Discussion of Florida's current laws about abortion

Victoria F Rodriguez

Abstract

Florida’s “Heartbeat Law,” enacted in 2024, prohibits most abortions after six weeks of gestation—before many individuals even realize they are pregnant. While the law includes narrow exceptions for rape, incest, life-threatening conditions, and fatal fetal anomalies, these are heavily restricted by documentation and certification requirements that often delay or deny access. This paper critiques the law’s legal, medical, and ethical shortcomings, highlighting how it disproportionately harms vulnerable populations and fails to align with clinical realities.

Keywords

Florida; Pregnancy; Abortion; Law

References

Florida Supreme Court. (2024). Decision upholding 15-week abortion ban. https://www.floridasupremecourt.gov

Florida Statutes §390.0111. (2024). Termination of pregnancies. https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes

Florida Senate. (2023). Pregnancy and Parenting Support Program (Senate Bill 300). https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/300

Guttmacher Institute. (2023). State facts about abortion: Florida. https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/state-facts-about-abortion-florida

National Sexual Violence Resource Center. (2022). Statistics on reporting and disclosure. https://www.nsvrc.org/statistics

Guttmacher Institute. (2024). U.S. abortion data trends. https://www.guttmacher.org/infographic/2024/us-abortion-data-trends

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Abortion surveillance report. https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/data_stats/abortion.htm

Foster, D. G. (2020). The Turnaway Study: Ten years, a thousand women, and the consequences of having—or being denied—an abortion. Scribner.

Florida Health Charts. (2023). Prenatal care access and indicators. https://www.flhealthcharts.gov

Full Text: PDF

Article Level Metrics

Previous Years | Current Year