The story behind Arizona's 160-year-old abortion ban
Arizona's 160-year-old abortion ban, upheld Tuesday by the state's highest court, is part of a wave of anti-abortion laws spurred by some historic twists that might seem surprising.For decades after the United States became a nation, abortion was legal until movement of the fetus was felt, usually until the second trimester. The movement, known as acceleration, was the threshold because, in an era before pregnancy tests or ultrasounds, it was the clearest sign that a woman was pregnant.Before then, “women could try to get an abortion without having to worry that it was illegal,” said Johanna Schoen, a history professor at Rutgers University. After expediting, abortion providers could be charged with a misdemeanor.“I don't think it's been particularly stigmatized,” Dr. Sch...