NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The abortion bans taking effect after the nation’s highest court overturned Roe v. Wade vary greatly in how they define when a pregnancy can be ended. Some laws restrict abortion at 15, 22 or 24 weeks of pregnancy. Gestational age is the term used to describe how far along a pregnancy is. Pregnancy begins when the fertilized egg implants itself into the uterus, but the timing for any individual pregnancy can’t be precisely determined. The most common method for determining gestational age: how much time has passed since the first day of the last menstrual period.
EXPLAINER: How gestational age plays a role in abortion laws
