Prompt Cast
The History of Abortion Laws in the United States
TLDR This episode explores the history of abortion laws in the United States, from its acceptance as a common practice to its criminalization in the early 1900s. It discusses the professionalization of obstetrics by male doctors, the moral arguments against abortion, the sidelining of midwives, and the eventual decriminalization of abortion through the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
In the early 1900s, abortion went from being a common and accepted practice to a criminal offense outlawed across the country.
05:37
This episode explores how and why laws outlawing abortion in every state were put on the books in the first place, and the professionalization of obstetrics by white men of medicine in the early 1800s.
10:55
In the early 1800s, male doctors began entering the delivery room, shifting the dynamic of childbirth and pregnancy that had been in the domain of women for thousands of years, and facing skepticism from both women and other doctors.
15:59
The opposition to abortion is not rooted in ancient history and has only become a moral and religious issue relatively recently, leading to the state's involvement in what was once a personal decision.
21:12
The physician's crusade against abortion in the 19th century was fueled by a moral argument that life begins at conception, racial fears of population decline among elite Protestant white women, and a desire to eliminate competition from midwives and other providers.
26:06
Midwives were slandered in the campaign against abortion, with their knowledge and expertise being ridiculed, and laws began to be passed outlawing or restricting abortion, thanks in part to the efforts of Anthony Comstock and his anti-birth control crusade.
31:06
The AMA's campaign against abortion, aided by Anthony Comstock's anti-contraception campaign, was successful in sidelining midwives and entrepreneurs like Madam Rastelle, leading to the illegalization of their livelihoods and the rise of male gynecologists and obstetricians.
37:01
The illegalization of abortion led to women seeking out dangerous and often deadly procedures, while doctors who disagreed with the laws continued to provide abortions in secret.
42:34
Doctors and medical students witnessed the devastating consequences of illegal abortions, leading them to support the decriminalization of abortion as a public health problem and work with lawyers to reform abortion laws at the state level.
47:37
The Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision in 1973 legalized abortion nationwide, but the issue was far from over as doctors remained central to the decision and the pro-life movement began to gain momentum.
Categories:
History
Society & Culture
