After all the recent news about Roe v. Wade, and the recent ruling on abortion from the U.S Supreme Court, you may be wondering whether abortion is still legal in New Jersey. The answer is yes. The Supreme Court decision actually ruled that it’s up to each separate state to have their own laws about abortion, not the federal government.
That means laws about abortion are different, depending on which state you live in.
New Jersey Abortion Laws
Abortion has long been legal in the state of New Jersey, with no restrictions, through all 9 months of pregnancy. The legal right to an abortion was further protected when the New Jersey governor signed the Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act in January of 2022, ensuring that the U.S. Supreme Court ruling would not impact abortion laws in New Jersey.
Types of Abortion in New Jersey
There are two types of abortion–surgical and medical.
A medical abortion uses pills to end a pregnancy–which is why it is commonly referred to as “the abortion pill”.
The abortion pill is typically a series of two pills. The first pill stops your body from producing the pregnancy hormone, preventing the fertilized egg from growing in your uterus. The second pill is then administered–causing your body to expel the pregnancy tissue out of your body through your vagina.
A medical abortion is completely legal in New Jersey, but it does have medical limitations in how it can be used, with the primary limitation being that it is only effective during the first 70 days of pregnancy.
Due to this limitation, and for the health of your body, a medical professional will need to confirm the age of your pregnancy before recommending a medical abortion.
There are also known risks to a medical abortion that you should be aware of, including:
- Incomplete abortion (which may need to be followed by surgical abortion)
- An ongoing unwanted pregnancy (if the procedure doesn’t work)
- Heavy and prolonged bleeding
- Digestive system discomfort
- Infection
- Fever
The second primary type of abortion is called a surgical abortion. Just as the name describes, a surgical abortion is an invasive medical procedure that needs to be performed in a medical facility.
During a surgical abortion, your cervix is dilated and a doctor removes your pregnancy from your uterus through the use of a suction tube. Because a surgical abortion is an invasive medical procedure there is a chance of serious complications, including:
- Damage to the womb or cervix
- Uterine perforation
- Excessive bleeding
- Infection of the uterus or fallopian tubes
- Scarring of the inside of the uterus
- Reaction to the medicines or anesthesia, such as problems breathing
- Not removing all of the tissue, requiring another procedure
It’s Your Choice
Despite abortion being completely legal in New Jersey, no one can force you to get an abortion against your will. You have the right to decide what is best for the health of your body and your future.
If you have already taken an at-home pregnancy test and gotten a positive result, or even just suspect you are pregnant, the first step is to get all the details you can about your pregnancy and understand what options are available to you.
Cornerstone Women’s Resource Center can help you confirm your pregnancy with a free and confidential, medical-grade pregnancy test.
If this test confirms you are pregnant then the medical team at Cornerstone Women’s Resource Center will provide a follow-up ultrasound at no cost to you. This ultrasound will be an important step in getting the information you need about your pregnancy, like the age, location, and viability of your pregnancy.
Get the Answers You Need
Getting the facts you need about your pregnancy and understanding your options will empower you to make the decision that is best for your future and your health.
If you think you are pregnant, contact the team at Cornerstone Women’s Resource Center to schedule free pregnancy testing, and start getting the answers you need.