Maine

As stated by IBIS Reproductive Health, a non-profit organization that builds partnerships across the sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice movements, Maine is one of five states that has four restrictive policies against abortion with an overall health score of six out of twelve. States with more restrictions tend to have an overall lower health score. According to Find State Laws, Maine has an A grade for its health insurance plans which are said to cover contraceptive prescriptions as well as access to emergency contraception. 

The Democratic governor of Maine, Janet Mills, signed a bill on June 13th that lifts the ban of abortions. In Maine, women are allowed to go through with an abortion as long as it is performed by a physician and the fetus is non-viable. It is illegal to have an abortion that is performed by anyone who is not a physician or post-viability unless it is an immediate threat to the mother’s life. Anyone who is not a licensed physician and performs an abortion, will be charged with a class C crime which could potentially result in a five-year jail sentence of a $5,000 penalty. 

Unlike the other three states, I was unable to find any stories about women who had experienced abortion in Maine. This could be for many reasons including but not limited to the fact that since they don’t have as strict of laws set in place, women are more likely to feel comfortable with having an abortion and are not rushed for time. While having an abortion in the first trimester is much more preferred in that both the procedure costs less and the overall pain inflicted on both the mother mentally and physically is less, there is nothing that prohibits going through with an abortion in the third trimester. Some women may not have a choice and wait until the third trimester if they realize that their unborn child may have server complications that were undetected early. Most women that receive an abortion in their third trimester usually initially intend to go through with the pregnancy unless they financially could not afford an abortion or were forced to go through with the pregnancy. 

When comparing Maine to Georgia, where the ban is after 6 weeks, Maine found it to be more reasonable to not set a time limitation on when an abortion could be performed as it is hard to detect a pregnancy early on. It is not too uncommon for a woman to miss one or two of her periods before suspecting pregnancy unless she is actively aware. Missing a period cycle may be a result of stress, poor diet or varying hormone levels which could be caused by birth control or lack thereof. In addition to making abortion more accessible, Maine has also made it a priority to provide women with any other information or services they may need throughout her pregnancy. It is important to note that while Maine does not have a set time where abortions are considered illegal, Prochoice America states that Maine has a post viability ban set in place that states that no abortion may be performed after viability of the baby unless the woman’s life or health is at risk. Since viability differs with each pregnancy, Maine has not declared a specific gestation stage where abortion is illegal. If there is a meaningful life capable outside of the woman’s body, the mother is highly recommended to go through with the pregnancy unless it puts her in immediate danger. Overall, Maine is one of the first states that has made major changes with their abortion laws and from this change, many can expect other states, especially democratic ones, to follow in Maine’s footsteps. 

Patty Wight reports on NPR regarding Maine’s new expanded access to abortion and the new laws set in place. Maine recently set two new laws in place in the hope of making access and affordability of abortions achievable for all. The first law states that women may receive an abortion from advanced practiced clinicians which no longer limits the procedures to just doctors. The second law states that all insurance plans, including Medicaid, will cover abortions. Nicole Clegg states that these new laws “will be the single most important events since Roe vs. Wade in the state of Maine.” Wight explains how these laws will ultimately make it easier for women seeking an abortion clinic to be able to find one that is closer and affordable. Julie Jenkins, a nurse practitioner, says that it is not uncommon for a woman to have to drive up to five hours each way in order to get to a clinic. By allowing advanced practiced clinicians to perform these procedures, a wider access to clinics will be available. When it comes to insurance covering abortions, the only exception where insurance is not required to cover abortions is if a religious employer offers private insurance. Senator Lisa Keim does not agree with Maines new laws. Keim argues that the state’s tax dollars should not be spent to pay for the abortion of a living pre-born child. Keim thinks that instead, abortions for low-income women should be covered by donations made by supporters of abortions. Others that are against this law include some republicans that have safety concerns about allowing practitioners who are not doctors to perform these procedures. Those in favor argue that these practitioners that would be preforming abortions have performed similar procedures when it comes to miscarriages and by allowing them to perform abortions as well will allow them to operate at the full scope of their expertise.  

Republicans and Democrats have differing views on just about everything and that is no different when it comes to abortions and laws that follow. Many feel strongly one way or another when it comes to abortions. Edward Carmines, Indiana University graduate, Jessica Gerrity, congressional research service, and Michael Wagner, University of Nebraska graduate, discuss how abortion has become a partisan issue. Republicans are seen as pro-life while democrats are seen as pro-choice. Although, it was not until 1980 that the Republican Party began to clearly define itself in opposition to abortion. Clement Dore, a republican, writes about his view on abortion rights and what his beliefs are. Dore states that “there need not be a moment in the development of the fetus, before which it is morally admissible to abort the fetus and after which it is not.”