Study finds Tennessee abortion waiting period reduced abortions by 6%
NASHVILLE, Tenn.--A new study from researchers at Texas A&M University finds Tennessee's abortion waiting period law has reduced the number of abortions by 6%.
Passed in 2015 under then Governor Bill Haslam, the law sets a 48 hour waiting period before undergoing the procedure. The law has been challenged in federal court by abortion clinics which argue it provides no benefits and causes a burden to women.
Focusing on the Tennessee law, the new study found while abortions overall decreased, the waiting period caused a 38% increase in the number of second-trimester abortions. The study also found the waiting period could increase the monetary cost of obtaining an abortion by $900 when accounting for fees, transportation, lost wages, and childcare.
The law is in the hands of U.S. District Judge Bernard Freidman, who will make a ruling on if the mandatory waiting period violates the U.S. Constitution.
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