Posts debate the necessity of abortion access in Georgia

False claims about legal infanticide persisted, along with conversations about Louisiana’s medication abortion restrictions.

On September 30, a Georgia judge struck down the state’s six-week abortion ban, generating debate about whether abortion access is necessary when contraception is available. On October 7, Georgia’s Supreme Court reinstated the ban. Plus, the vice presidential debate incited an uptick in false claims that abortion laws legalize infanticide. Conversation also continued about Louisiana’s law reclassifying abortion pills as controlled substances.

In light of these conversations, public health communicators may outline the difference between contraception and abortion, debunk false claims about “late-term” and “post-birth” abortions, and recirculate information about the safety of abortion pills, as well as how people can access them.

---

What’s trending nationally in vaccine conversation:

On September 30, a judge in Georgia struck down the state’s six-week abortion ban, temporarily making abortion legal up to 22 weeks of pregnancy. A week later, on October 7, the Georgia Supreme Court reinstated the six-week ban. The original decision to strike down the six-week ban came after recent ProPublica reports linked the deaths of two pregnant women in Georgia to the state’s abortion restrictions. One X post celebrating the September 30 ruling received approximately 1.2 million views, 105,000 likes, 24,000 reposts, and 1,800 comments as of October 8. Some comments shared support for striking down the ban, while others claimed expanding abortion access is unnecessary due to the availability of contraception and the option to practice abstinence. In the comments on an NBC Facebook post about the end to the six-week ban, many supporters expressed concern that the ruling could be appealed, while anti-abortion advocates equated abortion with murder. The six-week ban will remain in effect while the court considers an appeal. Conversation about the state of Georgia’s abortion law will likely continue in the coming weeks.

During the vice presidential debate on October 1, Senator JD Vance falsely claimed that a 2023 Minnesota law allows doctors to forgo care for infants born alive after failed abortions. An X post sharing a video of Vance making this claim received approximately 2.3 million views, 29,000 likes, 5,500 reposts, and 350 comments as of October 8. Most comments shared support for Vance and claimed he spoke the “truth.” Another X post shared a video of a doctor explaining that “late-term” abortion is not a medical term and stating that “no one is executing babies after birth.” The post received approximately 141,000 views, 9,500 likes, 5,100 reposts, and 80 comments as of October 8. Most comments expressed agreement with the doctor’s explanation, but one suggested that “partial birth” abortions—a non-medical term referring to dilation and extraction procedures, which are used in a small portion of second trimester abortions—still happen. Another claimed that the doctor cannot speak “on behalf of every single doctor and every single town and every single state.”

Conversation continued about a Louisiana law reclassifying abortion pills as controlled substances, which went into effect on October 1. Multiple news articles highlighted doctors’ concerns that the law will delay access to abortion pills, which are also used to manage miscarriages and treat postpartum hemorrhage. Comments on Facebook posts sharing articles about the law were mixed. Some shared doctors’ concerns about how the law could impact maternal deaths, while others falsely claimed that abortion pills are “dangerous drugs,” despite evidence showing that the risk of major complications is less than 1 percent.

---

Recommendations for public health professionals

Each week, the Infodemiology.com team will provide messaging recommendations in response to some of the trending narratives outlined above. These helpful tips can be used when creating content, updating web and FAQ pages, and developing strategy for messaging about reproductive health. 

In response to claims that abortion access is unnecessary due to the availability of contraception, communicators may explain that birth control—including emergency contraception—prevents a pregnancy from occurring, whereas abortion ends a pregnancy. Explaining that no form of birth control is 100 percent effective at preventing pregnancy is recommended. Communicators may also ensure that materials outlining abortion laws in their state are up to date—particularly for public health departments, community organizations, and other partners in Georgia and other states with changing restrictions. Ten states will vote on ballot measures about abortion access, so communicators should be prepared for questions after Election Day.

The intermittent resurgence of false claims that infanticide is legal under abortion laws shows a need for further education about abortions that happen later in pregnancy. Explaining that no state has ever passed a law allowing people to kill infants or intentionally let infants die after birth is recommended. Communicators may emphasize that abortions at or after 21 weeks represent only 1 percent of abortions in the U.S. and that these abortions typically occur when there are dangerous fetal anomalies present or when the pregnant person’s life is in danger. Communicators may also update materials outlining abortion gestational limits in their state.

Online conversations about abortion pill safety provide an opportunity to reiterate that abortion pills are a safe and effective way to end a pregnancy and that the risk of major complications is less than 1 percent. Messaging may explain that pills used in medication abortion are also used to manage miscarriages and treat postpartum hemorrhage, which can be life-threatening. Sharing how people can access abortion pills in your state is recommended. Communicators with target populations in Louisiana may explain that the two reclassified medications—mifepristone and misoprostol—are still available with a doctor’s prescription. However, abortion is only legal in Louisiana if there is a fatal fetal abnormality or if the pregnant person’s health or life is at risk.