Through a combination of restrictions and allowances, Delaware is decidedly down the middle on abortion laws, but comes off as strict when compared to most of its neighboring states.
In Delaware, a woman must first be counseled on the risks associated with abortion, then wait 24 hours before voluntarily ending a pregnancy. Abortions can only by legally provided by licensed medical doctors,
according to the legal web site, FindLaw.com.
The First State earned a C grade from NARAL Pro-Choice America, a group which scores each state based on its abortion laws and political landscape. Neighbors Maryland and New Jersey received an A and A-, respectively. Only Pennsylvania fared worse among the states that share a border, logging an F.
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The grading system methodology assesses the hurdles placed on obtaining reproductive health care, with points added for actions that support abortion rights. The final grades reflect a number of factors, such as abortion bans, required biased counseling, insurance coverage and access to emergency contraception.
The Guttmacher Institute ranked Delaware 36th in the nation based on its restrictions, skewing the state toward letting women choose,
according to a 2013 Washington Post report. Oklahoma had the strictest policies, while Oregon came in "last" with its lenient approach to women's reproductive rights.
Delaware is shifting into more conservative territory.
According to Pro-Choice Delaware, the Supreme Court ruling in Roe v. Wade is the "only thing protecting abortion rights" in the state, since nearly all abortions are banned by state laws. The organization further claims that providers "face increasingly aggressive anti-reproductive rights protesters at their facilities who harass staff, patients and volunteers."
Americans United for Life, ranked Delaware 32nd in the nation, noting that "Recent scandals and substandard care at Delaware abortion clinics including Planned Parenthood clinics highlights the state's lack of meaningful legal protections for women considering abortion and the urgent need for laws regulating the abortion industry."
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The lower the ranking from Americans United for Life, the more the state is viewed as being pro-choice. New Jersey came in at 45 because that state’s laws provide "no meaningful protection for women considering abortion or for unborn victims of violence." It also supports what the group calls "destructive embryo research." Maryland scored slightly higher in 42nd place, on the basis that there's no informed consent law.
Pennsylvania ranked fifth, with a litany of obstacles, such as informed consent, parental consent, a 24-hour waiting period, and state-funded abortion alternatives.
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