But state data show abortions late in pregnancy are rare, and they don’t happen at all after a certain point. While abortions increased by 20% in Minnesota in 2022, none occurred in the eighth month of pregnancy. Only two abortions out of more than 12,000 performed in the state happened between 25 and 30 weeks. More than 10,000 of those abortions happened before the first 10 weeks of pregnancy.
Abortion provider Planned Parenthood said less than 1% of abortions take place in the third trimester, “and when they do it is often a result of catastrophic medical diagnoses.”
Last year, Walz also signed an update to a state law for infants born alive after an abortion attempt. Previously the law stated that “all measures consistent with good medical practice … shall be taken by the responsible medical personnel to preserve the life and health of the infant who is born alive.”
The updated law says medical personnel are required “to care for the infant who is born alive.” It also removed a reporting requirement for infants who are born alive after an abortion attempt.
“Under Walz’s legislation, viable babies could be set aside, with only comfort care, and allowed to die. Babies with disabilities, whose lives are often devalued, are especially at risk,” said Cathy Blaeser, co-executive director of Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, the state’s largest group opposing abortion.
Supporters of the change say it doesn’t get in the way of parents or doctors trying to save the life of the child, but it does give them the option to not engage in medical intervention in rare instances where an infant is born alive with fatal fetal anomalies.
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