ALBUQUERQUE – Today, Protect ABQ Women & Children, a local advocacy group, launched their outreach efforts to inform voters of the dangerous late-term abortion industry in Albuquerque in light of the November 19ballot measure. Members of Protect ABQ Women & Children initiated the petition process to end abortions after 20-weeks for five months of pregnancy.
“Albuquerque has become the late-term abortion capital of the U.S. because of New Mexico’s lack of any common-sense abortions laws that protect the health and safety of women,” said Elisa Martinez, executive director of Protect ABQ Women & Children. “The abortion industry here is very lucrative, therefore we have out-of-state abortion provider traveling to Albuquerque to perform late-term abortions and Albuquerque residents want that practice to end.”
In New Mexico, abortion is legal for any reason up until the day of birth. At least 13 other states have passed 20-week abortion bans and court rulings have set precedents that allows for states and municipalities to restrict abortions on behalf of the unborn child when there is compelling reason.
“The fact that scientific evidence shows babies feel tremendous amounts of pain at 20 weeks, if not earlier, when their lives are taken is compelling enough reason to end the horrific late-term abortion industry in Albuquerque and we believe that the ban will be upheld in the court of law,” Martinez added. “For too long officials in the legislature, and now some members of the city council, have tried to block any type of protective regulation so we are taking this directly to the people.”
As for the safety for women, the late-term abortion facility in downtown Albuquerque, Southwestern Women’s Options’ own consent from that is required to be signed before a late-term abortion is performed, states the risks of termination gradually increase over the course of the pregnancy. Their abortion consent form implicitly states “that pregnancy termination at 18 weeks and above involves a greater risk than carrying the pregnancy to term.”
Additionally, abortion clinics in New Mexico that perform surgical abortions, including dangerous late-term surgical abortions, are not classified as ambulatory surgical centers. And the state’s Department of Health has no oversight over these facilities – making them less safe than a nail salon.
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