Abortion Laws: South Carolina Approves Bill Banning Abortions Done Before 20-Week Pregnancy

South Carolina has a new and stringent abortion law. Governor Nikki Haley signed the bill Wednesday, which effectively bans most types of abortion within the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. The full pregnancy term is at 40 weeks.

CNN reports that the abortion law will be implemented immediately and will only allow for at least two exemptions but under limited terms. If the pregnancy endangers the life of the mother, or if the doctors determine that the fetus won't be able to survive a full pregnancy term, then abortion might be allowed. But only after the 20-week mark.

Further, abortion of pregnancies due to rape or incest will not be covered by this law. A doctor found to have performed an illegal abortion will be fined, along with the possibility of a three-year prison time, per Slate.

South Carolina governor signs 20-week abortion ban into law https://t.co/MqSw2PPFLW

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Similar laws are already in place in at least 13 other states in the country. But some states have blocked the 20-week bans on abortion based on the landmark Roe v. Wade case. It states that abortion cannot be banned for fetuses that are not viable.

However, it is the bill authors' belief that a fetus at 20 weeks can already respond to pain stimuli. "In my view and many others', it's inhumane to subject that baby to pain at 20 weeks," said Rep. Wendy Nanney, who sponsored the bill, per Huffington Post.

Pro-choice advocates are expectedly against the decision of the state government. "This is a dangerous bill for South Carolina women, made even more extreme by removing exceptions for victims of rape and incest," said Alyssa Miller of Planned Parenthood in South Carolina. Miller also said that after 20 weeks, abortion at this point becomes an "extremely rare" case, which renders the conditions useless.  Read the full resolution posted on the South Carolina state site.