A controversial new abortion law went into effect this month in North Carolina.
It requires that doctors who perform an abortion after the 16th week of pregnancy supply ultrasound images to the state.
There's also a longer waiting period.
“Women seeking an abortion will have to wait 72 hours instead of 24. Women will have to go into the doctor's office or clinic and then go home and have to return for the procedure,” says Maureen Eggert, an instructor with Wake Forest University School of Law.
Supporters contend it will hold doctors accountable and make sure they comply with regulations. They also say it will make the process safer for women.
But critics say the new law limits access to the procedure and create unnecessary burdens for women, especially in rural counties.
“I think, women, young women especially, may have challenges finding the financial resources, the ability to take time off from work, to find transportation if they need it, or to find childcare if they need it in order to make multiple visits to their doctors,” says Jina Dhillion with NARAL Pro-Choice NC.
State health officials say the information they collect will be used for statistical purposes and monitoring and won't be public record. Both the doctor's name and the patient's name will blocked out for privacy and protection.
Eggert says there are still a lot of unanswered questions about the process.
“How are they going to store these images and information? Where are they going to store them? What are they going to do with them? The law assures us that they will be confidential. However, I think we are all aware of situations where computer records have gone astray before.”
Eggert says North Carolina now has one of the strictest abortion laws in the country. A recent New York Times Article says the Tar Heel state is one of 43 states that have enacted laws banning abortion at different stages of pregnancy.
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