Is Abortion Legal in Wisconsin?

She doesn't know if she should have an abortion or adoption

If you are facing an unplanned pregnancy and are considering an abortion in Wisconsin, it’s important to know the current abortion laws and what restrictions might be in place. Many states now limit when you can get an abortion and you need to know the laws where you live to make a fully-informed decision.

To help you out, here’s a rundown of the abortion restrictions in the state of Wisconsin:

Counseling

The first law regarding abortion in the state is that you must attend an appointment intended to give you all the information you need about abortion. This is important and is done for every major medical and surgical procedure to make sure you know all of the possible complications of the procedure.

This counseling is mandated so that you can know your other options and go into the procedure fully aware. It allows you to make a decision on your own without outside pressure or influence.

The Wisconsin Department of Health has produced a booklet that contains the required informed consent information. At your First Care Clinic appointment, a nurse will review this information with you.

Waiting Period

After the counseling information session, you must then wait 24 hours to have the abortion. Again, this law is in place for your protection. It allows you to process all of the information to make the best decision possible, rather than making a quick decision you might come to regret.

Funding for Abortion

Health plans offered on the state’s Affordable Care Act, health plans offered for public employees, and public funding for abortion can only cover abortion procedures necessary to protect the life or health of the pregnant woman or in cases of rape or incest. This law is in place because these plans are taxpayer-funded; such funding is not allowed to be designated or used for abortions under current law.

Parental Consent

Parents or guardians must give consent for an abortion procedure for pregnant minors. This is in line with any other major medical surgery; parents must give consent for wisdom teeth removal and for Tylenol to be administered at school. This law also protects women who may be victims of sex-trafficking as well as underage women who may be forced to get an abortion against their will.

Minors cannot be forced to have an abortion by their parent or legal guardian.

Ultrasounds & Timing

An ultrasound must be administered prior to the abortion procedure. This is to protect the health of the pregnant woman, because an ultrasound not only indicates how far along the pregnancy is, but can also reveal if the pregnancy is outside of the uterus (an ectopic pregnancy). If the pregnancy is less than 10 weeks, a less-invasive medication abortion can be prescribed; if the pregnancy is later than 10 weeks, a surgical abortion will be necessary.

Abortions are illegal in Wisconsin past 20 weeks except in cases of life endangerment or severe health risks to the pregnant woman. We don’t know exactly when a fetus starts feeling pain, but we know they react to pain during fetal surgeries at 20 weeks. Twenty-week regulations are often set in place in light of this scientific knowledge.

Administering Abortion

Finally, abortions may not be administered via telemedicine. This means that a doctor or medical professional may not prescribe or oversee an abortion procedure unless he or she is in person with you. This law is designed to protect you from scams as well as to ensure you have access to care if something goes wrong during the abortion. A doctor must be present during an abortion procedure which is a good thing for you.