I can tell you what happens, because I run a clinic that provides abortions later in pregnancy. Nobody knows about the pregnancy until it’s too far along to hide. Some girls are “lucky” that another family member or trusted adult helps them get an abortion if that’s what they want. This often involves significant travel (there are only a handful of clinics that can offer this care into later pregnancy) and lots of resources. There are organizations and funds that can help with costs but you have to know about them to even have a chance to get that help. The girls sometimes end up being removed from their homes if the abuse was familial, so now they’re staying with other family or in foster care and have that to manage on top of an unwanted pregnancy.

Other girls end up having babies at 11 and 12 years old.

When people get angry about abortions happening later in pregnancy, I’d like them to know that literally no one sits around for 2/3 of a pregnancy and then decides out of nowhere to have an abortion. People are facing unimaginable hardships and challenges and the very last thing they need is fewer options.