6-week Abortion Ban in Florida goes into effect May 1, 2024

Yes. Abortion is still legal in Florida up to fifteen weeks of pregnancy. Starting May 1, it will only be legal up to six weeks of pregnancy.

Florida currently has a 15-week ban and two-appointment minimum in place with exceptions for a fatal fetal diagnosis or to save the life of the mother, but no exceptions for rape, incest or human trafficking.  

Starting May 1, Florida will have a six-week ban and two-appointment minimum in place, with exceptions for fatal fetal diagnosis and to save the life of the pregnant person with the signatures of two physicians. There will be exceptions for rape, incest or human trafficking up to 15-weeks of pregnancy with the required documentation which can be a police report, medical record, or court document. 

No. Crisis pregnancy centers are fake clinics that lure pregnant people into their offices under the guise of providing abortions, only to scare, shame and persuade them away from care with misinformation about the procedure, birth control and sexual health. 

There are a LOT of crisis pregnancy centers in Florida. They usually try to seem like a normal doctor’s office, with ultrasound machines and staff in medical coats. Their name or website may even include the word “choice.” They usually advertise free pregnancy tests, abortion counseling or education, pre-abortion screenings, or after-abortion help.  

Crisis pregnancy centers in Florida were recently given an annual budget of $25M. Nearly $1M of this is said to be spent on targeted digital marketing to track down pregnant people and talk them out of abortion. Websites like AbortionFinder.org can help ensure you and your loved ones only visit medically accurate healthcare facilities. This blog post can also help you spot the signs of anti-abortion clinics before you accidentally visit one.  

You typically won’t know you’re pregnant until you miss a period and take a pregnancy test – or when you are about four weeks along. If you have irregular menstrual cycles, are stressed, sick, or taking certain medications, this can make knowing your average cycle even more unpredictable and make it even more challenging to track.  

If you suspect you might be pregnant, take a pregnancy test as soon as possible. You can walk into any Planned Parenthood of South, East and North Florida health center at any time and purchase a pregnancy test, as well as things like Emergency Contraception or a Pregnancy Prevention Pack.    

No. The law in Florida requires that doctors count the age of a pregnancy from the first day of your last menstrual period (LMP.) That means by the time you miss your period and find out you’re pregnant, you’re already about four weeks pregnant.   

If your menstrual cycles are regular, ovulation occurs on or around day 14 of your cycle, and conception takes place about two weeks after your LMP. Therefore, you're considered six weeks pregnant two weeks after your missed period.  

That means the window to get an abortion in Florida starting May 1 is limited. You will have less than 14 days after the first day of your missed period to confirm you are pregnant, book two appointments at least 24 hours apart (to comply with Florida law) before receiving abortion care. 

The six-week ban does allow for abortions in cases of sexual assault or violence; however, care can only be administered if you have documentation of your assault and are under 15-weeks pregnant. Acceptable forms of documentation include police reports, restraining orders, medical records, or court documents.  

As always, Planned Parenthood of South, East and North Florida’s dedicated staff is here to help any victim of sexual violence with compassionate, competent care.  

The six-week ban does allow for abortion care if the fetus will not survive, or the pregnant person’s life is in danger. Two physicians must certify you have a fatal fetal diagnosis or that your life is in danger.   

Abortion care is allowed if:  

• Two physicians certify that there is a fatal fetal abnormality   

• To save the pregnant person’s life   

• To avert a serious risk of injury to the pregnant person    

Pregnancy tests can usually pick up on the HCG hormone in your urine around 4 weeks of pregnancy – or within days of your missed period.  

• If you suspect your contraception method failed you, or had unprotected sex after your last menstrual cycle, we highly recommend testing early and often as soon as the first day of your missed period – even if you initially get a negative result.  

• Because pregnancy tests are not always accurate, if you suspect you might be pregnant, we also highly recommend making an appointment soon as possible to confirm if you are pregnant or not.  

• If your period is irregular or you do not have a menstrual cycle due to long-term birth control, but suspect you might be pregnant, call Planned Parenthood immediately and schedule an appointment. 

If you are less than six weeks pregnant, you have the right to decide to have an abortion if you are under 18 years of age. But Florida law requires parental consent for people under 18 to receive abortion care. 

If you can’t involve a parent or legal guardian, you have the option of asking a judge to let you get an abortion without involving a parent. This process is called judicial bypass. You can find more information on the judicial bypass process on the Abortion Care for People Under 18 page.   

If you find out you are pregnant on the first day of your missed period, this leaves you two weeks – approximately 14 days – to initiate the judicial bypass process, get approval from a judge, and find an appointment for abortion care somewhere in the state. This is a very tight turnaround for a legal process to be initiated and completed, then find an appointment in time.  

Planned Parenthood of South, East and North Florida’s Patient Navigators are here to help minors looking to navigate the judicial bypass process. Learn more here.  

IUDs and implants are very popular because they are long-acting and reversible — but birth control is not “one size fits all.” Our health experts can help you find the birth control method that is best for you. Visit our Birth Control page to learn more.  

Yes, abortion is one of the safest medical procedures. The rate of major complications is less than 1%, and it's safer than getting your wisdom teeth taken out.  

Millions of people face unplanned pregnancies every year, and about one in five of them decide to have an abortion. Having an abortion doesn’t increase your risk for breast cancer or affect your fertility. It doesn’t cause problems for future pregnancies or pose any risk to your overall health or mental health.  

The abortion bans being passed have nothing to do with patient health or safety.  

Yes. Most Floridians – over 60% – agree that government interference with abortion should be limited and do not support abortion bans. You can learn more about how Planned Parenthood is fighting back and how to get involved by visiting The Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates here.