The Massachusetts House of Representatives passed a bill that seeks to modify current restrictions on abortion late in pregnancy, allowing certain procedures after 24 weeks to be performed with a doctor's approval.

The initiative, identified as H.5595, was approved on Wednesday with 119 votes in favor and 33 against and will now be sent to the state Senate, where it must be analyzed before advancing to possible final approval.

Change current abortion rules in Massachusetts

Currently, Massachusetts law allows abortions after 24 weeks only in specific circumstances, such as when the patient's life is at risk, there is a threat to her physical or mental health, or when the fetus has a serious or life-threatening condition.

The new project proposes expanding these exceptions by allowing doctors to have greater margin of decision according to the particular conditions of each pregnancy.

Its proponents argue that some patients have had to travel out of state to receive specialized medical care due to current limitations.

Legislators defend the measure due to complex medical cases

State Representative Christine Barber, one of the promoters of the project, explained that the initiative arose after learning of cases of women who had to travel to other states to access medical procedures.

Barber noted that some patients have had to move away from their families and incur high costs to receive care that she believes should be available in Massachusetts.

As an example, he mentioned the case of Kate Dineen, a woman who in 2022 traveled with her husband to a clinic in Maryland when she was 33 weeks pregnant. According to reports cited by lawmakers, the baby had suffered a stroke in utero and the family paid nearly $10,000 for the procedure.

Medical organizations support the project

The proposal received support from major health systems and associations in the state, including the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association, Mass General Brigham, UMass Memorial Health, Tufts Medicine and Beth Israel Lahey Health.

These organizations had previously asked state House Speaker Ronald Mariano to support the initiative. In a letter sent to legislators, they noted that the project would allow doctors to use their professional judgment to make decisions based on the needs of their patients.

Representative Lindsay Sabadosa, a co-sponsor of the project, stated that health professionals must have the ability to evaluate each medical situation without restrictions that, in her opinion, could ignore the complexity of some cases.

Opposition groups criticize the proposal

The anti-abortion organization Massachusetts Citizens for Life rejected the approval of the project and questioned whether the final decision could be left in the hands of doctors.

Its president, Myrna Maloney Flynn, said the initiative would allow a professional to subjectively determine when to perform an abortion late in pregnancy.

The group also maintained that the measure does not represent a solution for women facing complications during pregnancy and criticized the possible use of public funds for these procedures.

Next step: the state Senate must vote on the project

After its approval in the House of Representatives, the H.5595 project will now go to the Massachusetts Senate, where it must receive the necessary support before the close of the legislative session, scheduled for July 31.

Gov. Maura Healey, who has expressed support for abortion access and reproductive health, has not yet confirmed whether she would sign the initiative if it reaches her desk.

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