CINCINNATI — Abortions up to 20 weeks are now possible again in Ohio because of a court ruling this week. But that may not be the case for long.
What You Need To Know
- Hamilton County Judge Christian Jenkins granted a 14-day temporary restraining order against Ohio’s “Heartbeat Bill”
- The Heartbeat Bill restricts most abortions after about six weeks
- The ruling will allow people to get abortions up to 20 weeks
- Groups like Right to Life say they are disappointed with the judge's decision
On Wednesday, Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas Judge Christian Jenkins granted a 14-day temporary restraining order against Ohio’s Heartbeat Law, which restricts most abortions after about six weeks. This decision comes nearly a week after the lawsuit hearing between Preterm-Cleveland and Attorney General Dave Yost.
Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio Chief Medical Officer Dr. Adarsh Krishen said it’s a great start, but certain things are sill left unclear.
“It’s certainly a move in the right direction, certainly, because it does allow women to have abortion access up to the limits that were previously held in the state of Ohio," said Dr. Krishen. “But it does add that layer of confusion.”
So what does the 14-day temporary restraining order mean? Well that means for the next two weeks, abortions up to 20 weeks can legally be performed in Ohio.
“The majority of women who have abortions have children and you don’t have to work through the logistics of 'how do I arrange for additional child care, how do I have to give up my rights to privacy by getting arrangements for someone to take care of it and explaining why I have to go out of state,' ” he said.
Dr. Krishen says his team is fully prepared to perform these procedures up to at least 15 weeks. But SB 145, or the D&E (dilation & evacuation) Abortion Ban, which prevents the most common abortion method used in the second trimester, is making things even more complicated for the clinic.
“We are having to work through some of the additional challenging logistics of how do we provide that care at some of the earlier periods of the 16/17 week time period,” he said.
It's bans like these that anti-abortion organizations like Right to Life hope to keep in place. Right to Life of Greater Cincinnati Executive Director Laura Strietmann said she’s truly disappointed in Judge Jenkins' decision.
“Abortion is dark, it’s painful, it’s deadly and it’s not good for women or good for our culture,” said Strietmann. “I’m upset for the women who are going to be harmed by this decision.”
The temporary restraining order will end in 14 days, when Judge Jenkins will either issue a preliminary injunction or reissue another temporary restraining order. Either way Strietmann said she’ll continue to fight against abortion.
“We are working with lawmakers to ensure that by the end of the year, in the lame duck session, after the November election, that there will be pro-life legislation ready to be heard, voted on and signed into law by the governor to ban all abortions,” she said.