Pro-Abortion Groups: Ohio Ban on Down Syndrome Abortions ‘Shames Women’

Ohio Gov. John Kasich has signed into law a measure that bans abortions of babies with Down syndrome.

The law, which will take effect in 90 days, penalizes abortionists who perform the procedure because the unborn baby has been diagnosed with Down syndrome. Abortionists who do so will face a fourth-degree felony, punishable by up to 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine:

Abortion industry political lobbying group NARAL condemned the new law, claiming that it “shames women” and “exploits” families with children who have Down syndrome.

ACLU of Ohio tweeted that the ban on abortions for babies with Down syndrome is “unconstitutional”:

In the case of Roe v. Wade in 1973, the Supreme Court created a right to abortion even though none existed in the Constitution.

Planned Parenthood of Ohio said the ban on abortions for Down syndrome babies is an “attack on abortion and reproductive health care”:

As Fox News reports, North Dakota and Indiana have passed similar prohibitions on abortions for unborn babies diagnosed with Down syndrome. While a federal judge has blocked the Indiana law, North Dakota’s law has not been challenged and has been in effect since 2013.

Ohio Right to Life celebrated the victory of bringing justice to unborn babies with Down syndrome they say have been the victims of discrimination:

“We all want to be born perfect, but none of us are, and everyone has a right to live, perfect or not,” Mike Gonidakis, president of Ohio Right to Life, told the New York Times in 2015 when the bill was introduced. “You go to any supermarket or mall and see these families who just happen to have a child with Down syndrome, and they will tell you how fortunate they are to have those children. Pretty soon, we’re going to find the gene for autism. Are we going to abort for that, too?”

March for Life Action tweeted its support of the new law, asserting, “All life is worth protecting!”:

Pro-life Susan B. Anthony List also tweeted that the new law saves babies with Down syndrome from “lethal discrimination”:

As Cleveland.com reports, Kasich said in November he would wait to review the final bill before making a decision to either sign or veto the legislation. The Republican governor had previously vetoed the “heartbeat bill,” which would have banned abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy, but signed another bill prohibiting abortions after the fifth month, or 20 weeks.