Biased Counseling & Mandatory Delays

We trust people to make the reproductive health care decisions that are best for themselves and their families. That includes the decision to have an abortion.  People seeking abortion care shouldn’t face judgment, shame, or unnecessary delays in accessing that care, and nobody should be lied to about health care.

Anti-choice lawmakers think they know what’s right for every person. They force their opinions on people seeking abortion care by requiring doctors to give patients anti-choice propaganda full of inaccuracies about pregnancy and the dangers of abortion.

These laws are insulting to all people—implying they can’t make decisions for themselves—and intrude on the doctor-patient relationship.

Anti-choice politicians also have passed laws that force people to wait before having an abortion. These laws usually require patients to make one visit to the doctor and then wait at least 24 hours before they can go back to have the procedure.

Biased counseling and mandatory delay laws are usually paired. Politicians say they want to make sure people have time to think about their decision, but make no mistake: these laws are really about shaming people and making it harder to access abortion.

Mandatory delay laws disproportionately affect low-income people and those in rural areas. Most Wyoming residents live hours from the nearest abortion provider. Attending just one appointment at a clinic often means taking time off work (frequently without pay), finding child care, and making a long and expensive journey. Mandating a delay and a second appointment would further increase the costs, lost wages, and time involved. It would also lead people to have abortions later in pregnancy, which can be more difficult and costly.

Like any other patient, a person considering abortion should receive full and unbiased information from their doctor about their medical options. They should not be subjected to biased propaganda and be forced to wait unnecessarily before accessing the health care they need.