Old North News

A recent poll of North Carolina voters shows a majority want to make their state’s abortion laws stricter.

The pro-life organization Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life (SBA) has released some data from a survey conducted by Differentiator Data that shows about two-thirds of North Carolina voters are in favor of restricting abortion to within 12 weeks in their state. The results from the survey, which contacted 500 voters in January of this year, showed that 62% of residents support legislation that would protect unborn children as early as 12 weeks with exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother. This is broadly the same as the perception of women in the state, 61% of which said they want to protect the fetus at 12 weeks.

The existing North Carolina laws also show an overall measure of support from residents, with required parental consent, a 72-hour waiting period and ultrasound prior to abortion all having above 50% approval rates and the parental consent law showing a 67% approval rate. The current abortion laws in the state allow the procedures to occur through 20 weeks gestation, but a new bill being pushed through the legislature would restrict that to 12 weeks, with exceptions to 20 weeks for rape and incest and 24 weeks for fetal life-limiting anomolies, ABC 11 reported.

Caitlin Connors, southern regional director of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, said protecting unborn children at 12 weeks would impact over 3,000 lives within the state.

"Allowing abortion up to 20 weeks – halfway through pregnancy and well past the point science shows an unborn child can feel pain – is not acceptable to the people of North Carolina," Connors told ABC 11. "We're talking about human beings with beating hearts and unique facial features, who suck their thumbs and react to touch. We urge the legislature to update the laws to reflect science and the will of the people."

Residents would also be in favor of passing these laws to prevent the increased “abortion tourism” from coming into their state, according to the poll. Since the Dobbs Supreme Court case, the state has seen an increase of around 800 abortions each month. They saw a roughly 25% increase in abortions throughout the state in the first six months after the court decision.

The 12-week mark of a fetus’ development marks a point when all of their organs have formed and their heart has started beating, the Charlotte Lozier Institute said. The fetus also displays fully formed fingers, a dominant left or right hand, and begins behaviors such as sucking on their thumb. They might also yawn, stretch or make fists and try to grab their toes. Their unique facial features like noses, eyes, ears and lips have begun forming as well.