As abortion bans spread and delays mount, women seeking care later in pregnancy face growing barriers and persistent misconceptions about why they need it.

7/7/2026
by Carrie N. Baker

Later abortion is one of the most stigmatized and least understood aspects of reproductive health—yet some of the voices perpetuating that stigma come from inside the reproductive rights movement itself.

Meanwhile, while most abortions happen in the first trimester, later abortions are increasing as restrictions and bans are delaying care and creating the very conditions that make them necessary. To address these misconceptions, Erika Christensen and Garin Marschall created Patient Forward after Christensen experienced a later abortion in 2016. The organization is dedicated to eliminating later abortion stigma and barriers.

Continued: https://msmagazine.com/2026/07/07/later-abortion-myths-late-term-facts-patient-stories-birth-weeks-gestation/