In a recent interview with former President Donald Trump, NBC’s Kristen Welker denied the existence of arguments for legal abortion up to birth, but this claim is far from accurate. While it’s true that not all Democrats explicitly support abortion up to birth, there are notable exceptions, and some states have laws allowing abortion without gestational limits.
Alaska, Colorado, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington, D.C. permit abortion at any point in pregnancy, effectively allowing for late-term abortion. Furthermore, many Democrats, while not explicitly endorsing abortion up to birth, support policies that could lead to such outcomes.
For instance, the Women’s Health Protection Act, endorsed by numerous House and Senate Democrats, would legalize abortions after fetal viability, typically around 23 weeks, if the abortionist believes it’s necessary for the mother’s health. This bill does not exclude mental health from its criteria, potentially leaving room for late-term abortions.
While no Democrat explicitly endorses infanticide on their platform, former Virginia Governor Ralph Northam’s comments on abortion raised concerns. He suggested that if a mother is in labor, the infant could be delivered, kept comfortable, and resuscitated if desired, leaving the door open to disturbing scenarios.
Moreover, in 2019, most Senate Democrats voted against a bill that would have protected babies born alive after failed abortions, requiring doctors to provide the same level of care as they would to any other child at the same gestational age.
Although some late-term abortions are performed due to fetal abnormalities or to save the mother’s life, data suggests that these reasons do not account for the majority of late-term abortions.
While recent polls indicate that only around half of Americans support legal abortion after 15 weeks, Democratic politicians’ positions on abortion vary, with some advocating policies that could allow for late-term abortions.
