The impact of state mandatory counseling and waiting period laws on abortion: A literature review
Joyce TJ, Henshaw SK, Dennis A, Finer LB, and Blanchard K. The impact of state mandatory counseling and waiting period laws on abortion: A literature review. New York: Guttmacher Institute. May 2009.
Proponents of mandatory counseling and waiting period laws argue that the state has a duty to ensure that before a woman decides to terminate a pregnancy she has been given ample time, after having been given information about her pregnancy and abortion, to weigh her options. Those opposed to these laws argue that such statutes are unneeded because physicians are required to obtain informed consent before all procedures (including abortion), that the laws impose an unnecessary burden on women who are seeking abortions and that women are able to make informed decisions about terminating a pregnancy without the imposition of a state-mandated counseling. Opponents further argue that mandatory counseling and waiting period laws serve no medical purpose and are a ruse to decrease the accessibility of abortion.