What the Fetterman-Oz debate means for abortion in Pennsylvania

In their debate Tuesday, Mehmet Oz accused John Fetterman of supporting abortion up to 38 weeks of pregnancy. Fetterman countered that he supported the law under Roe v. Wade, which ensured a national right to an abortion until the Supreme Court overturned it in June.

Roe and later court rulings allowed states to ban most abortions during the third trimester of pregnancy, with exceptions for rape, incest, and when the pregnant person’s life or health was in danger.

When asked whether he supported a federal ban on abortions, Oz said the rules should be up to the states — with input from local politicians.

“I want women, doctors, local political leaders letting the democracy that’s always allowed our nation to thrive, to put the best ideas forward so states can decide for themselves,” Oz said

Notwithstanding the lack of clarity during the debate between Pennsylvania’s two candidates for the U.S. Senate, abortion remains legal in Pennsylvania before the 24th week of pregnancy — and beyond then, if the person’s life or health is in jeopardy.

As other states restrict access, more patients are traveling to Pennsylvania for abortions.

Here are the facts on who is getting abortions in Pennsylvania, and when:

Abortions are allowed in Pennsylvania up until the 24th week of pregnancy, but the pregnant person must meet certain requirements before undergoing the procedure.

Patients must receive counseling, then wait for 24 hours before the abortion. Minors are required to notify their guardians.

After the 24th week of pregnancy, abortions are allowed in Pennsylvania only if the pregnant person’s life or health is in jeopardy.

Those later-term abortions are apparently what Oz was referring to with his “38 weeks” comment, but such abortions account for a very small fraction of the total.

The most recent data on abortion in Pennsylvania are from 2020, from the state Department of Health.

They include statistics on the age and marital status of people getting abortions, the type of procedure, and how far along they were in their pregnancies.

Patients under 18 accounted for less than 2.4% of abortions in Pennsylvania.

In 2020, no Pennsylvania abortions took place after the 24th week of pregnancy, according to the Health Department.

Most Pennsylvania abortions took place in Philadelphia and Allegheny County, home to Pittsburgh.

Surgical abortions are performed at a clinic or medical facility. Medical or medication abortions involve taking medication orally and/or vaginally that stops the pregnancy. Sometimes referred to as the abortion pill, this method is increasingly common.

In 2020, more than 93% of abortions in Pennsylvania were sought by state residents. The remainder were sought by residents from Delaware, Ohio, and West Virginia, among other states.

But with some states adopting more restrictive rules since the Roe ruling was overturned, the proportion of out-of-state residents seeking abortions in Pennsylvania is expected to increase.

» READ MORE: Thousands of out-of-state patients are coming to Pennsylvania for abortions they can’t get at home

Staff writers Sarah Gantz and Kasturi Pananjady contributed to this article.