Under Ohio law, patients must wait a minimum of 24 hours after their initial appointment before receiving their abortion. There are no other time-sensitive medical treatments with a legally imposed waiting restriction.
“The singling out of abortion for differential and unfavorable treatment perpetuates the discriminatory view that patients do not think carefully about their decisions and do not understand the nature of the procedure. This is a patronizing stereotype that has no place in our laws,” said Bethany Lewis, LISW-S, Executive Director of Preterm.
This law means patients are waiting much longer than 24 hours for their abortion procedures and can even prevent patients from receiving their abortion all together. In addition, the law also forces abortion clinics to hand out state-mandated information and reading materials around alternatives to abortion.
These restrictions are a clear violation of Ohio’s constitutional right to reproductive freedom, guaranteed on November 7, 2023. That's why Preterm has challenged the 24-hour waiting period restriction.
“People deserve to be treated with respect and dignity when receiving abortion care,” Lewis continued. “Their bodily autonomy shouldn’t be questioned by the state, and they shouldn’t be forced to wait for lifesaving care.”