Facts related to Issue 1 on the Ohio ballot regarding medical freedom
The purpose of this article is to present facts in favor of a YES vote on Issue 1 of the Ohio Constitution voted on November 7, 2023. Claims made supporting a NO vote on Issue 1 will be addressed.
The sources of these facts will be the Center for Disease and Prevention and the Ohio Department of Health. A large part of the facts in this article were prepared by Sarah Szilagy of WCMH Channel 4 in Columbus, OH and published by the Bakersfield Herald on October 9, 2023. The article was titled: “Ohio Issue 1 fact check: Why, and how, people get abortions later in pregnancy”.
CDC Data was compiled for 2020
80% of the abortions done in the US were done at or under 9 weeks gestation
83% of the abortions done in the US were done at of under 13 weeks gestation
5.8% of the abortions done in the US were done from 13 through 20 weeks.
Less than 1% of the abortions done in the US occurred at 21 weeks and beyond.
Ohio Department of Health data from 2022
90% of abortions in 2022 occurred in the first 12 weeks
0.6% of abortions occurred at 21 weeks or beyond (a total of 107)*
The remainder of this article is by Rev. Jim Hetzer, the author.
The statistics provided by the Ohio Health Department indicates a very low number of abortions after 20 weeks of gestation. A fetus whose gestational age is less than 20 weeks is considered to not be viable. Fetal viability (living outside the womb) and the health effects of pregnancy on the mother are the two major determinants of abortion status.
First term pregnancies could be terminated because the fetus was not viable, and the decision to terminate was up to the mother and medical practitioners. During the second term of gestation, the justification of abortions depends upon protecting the health of the mother and the continued viability of the fetus.
The claim by those promoting a NO vote on Issue 1 has been that late term abortions cause pain to the mother and fetus, and imply that there are numerous abortions done beyond the time when the fetus can survive outside the womb.
Lt. Governor John Husted made the following statement in a TV advertisement against Issue 1: “We don’t believe in late-term abortions where viable babies can feel pain.” Issue 1 does not promote causing pain to mothers or fetuses.
These are quotes from Charlotte Lozier Institute regarding abortion procedures.The Charlotte Lozier Institute (CLI) is a pro-life institution and a 501(c)3 charitable organization. “Standards of medical care now call for direct fetal analgesia (pain medication) and anesthesia during fetal surgery, beginning at 15 weeks of gestation.” Fetal anesthesia is now routine medical practice and recommended for all fetal surgeries from the second trimester (12 weeks and beyond). Fetal surgeries are now being performed even in the first half of gestation, and routinely incorporate anesthesia and analgesia in the protocols.”
Reasons for abortions:
One of the major criticisms of the current Ohio regulations are that there are no provisions for permitting abortions of pregnancies that occurred due to incest or rape. Existing Ohio abortion law required that a 10-year-old girl that was raped and impregnated had to be transported to Indiana for a chemical early-term abortion. Forcing any child or woman to carry a baby to term that was created through rape or incest is almost certain to have mental health consequences, and a stigma on the mother and baby.
There are many different medical reasons cited for having abortions, with regard to the viability of the fetus and/or adverse effects on the health of the mother. For the mothers, there are high risk complications including preeclampsia (blood pressure spikes),and/or cessation of development of the fetus due to loss of viability.
Some birth defects can be discovered around 13 weeks, but some major defects do not appear until 20 weeks or more of gestation. Major developmental issues of the fetus can occur with catastrophic results throughout the pregnancy. Exposure to the Zika virus by the mother can cause the fetus to fail to fully develop the brain. In situations of two or more fetuses, the failure of fetal development in one fetus can increase the risk of development of the remaining fetuses and/or put the mother’s life in jeopardy.
The National Institute of Health has defined major health risks of pregnancy that may create threats to the life of the mother. The NIH has published an article:
“Risk factors for a high-risk pregnancy can include:
- Existing health conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or being HIV-positive1
- Overweight and obesity. Obesity increases the risk for high blood pressure, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, stillbirth, neural tube defects, and cesarean delivery. NICHD researchers have found that obesity can raise infants’ risk of heart problems at birth by 15%.3
- Multiple births. The risk of complications is higher in women carrying more than one fetus (twins and higher-order multiples). Common complications include preeclampsia, premature labor, and preterm birth. More than one-half of all twins and as many as 93% of triplets are born at less than 37 weeks’ gestation.4
- Young or old maternal age. Pregnancy in teens and women age 35 or older increases the risk for preeclampsia and gestational high blood pressure.5,6
Women with high-risk pregnancies should receive care from a special team of health care providers to ensure the best possible outcomes.
For more information, visit the High-Risk Pregnancy topic.”
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