ATLANTA — On the third anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, advocates on both sides of the abortion debate are reflecting on how Georgia has changed in the years since.
State Senator Ed Setzler, who sponsored Georgia’s restrictive “heartbeat bill,” says the state has seen a dramatic drop in abortions. “Having seen about a 50% decrease in the number of abortions, we’re at a place we should all be proud of,” Setzler said. “Georgia has worked very hard to strike that balance, and I’m proud of the balance that we struck.”
The law bans most abortions once cardiac activity is detected, typically around six weeks into a pregnancy.
But advocates for abortion rights say that balance has come at a steep cost. Jaylen Black with Planned Parenthood Southeast says Georgia has become one of the worst states for abortion access.
“Patients have been denied critical reproductive healthcare, and they have been forced to seek the care they need out of state,” Black said. “Unfortunately, some have died.”
Black also warned of a growing shortage of OB-GYNs, as some doctors fear felony charges and up to 10 years in prison for performing abortion procedures under current laws.
Georgia is one of several states with stricter abortion laws following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
WSB’s Jonathan O’Brien contributed to this story
Sign Up
