The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on Sept. 2 announced plans to offer abortions, despite warnings that such a move would be illegal.
The VA’s interim final rule lets the department provide abortion counseling and abortions to pregnant veterans and beneficiaries.
The abortions will be available when “the life or the health of the pregnant veteran would be endangered if the pregnancy were carried to term” or the pregnancy resulted from rape or incest, according to the rule.
A pregnant veteran saying that rape or incest occurred is sufficient evidence that it did, according to the rule.
Dr. Shereef Elnahal, the VA’s undersecretary for health, said that the change brings the VA in alignment with “generally accepted standards of medical practice” and that the updated policy came about due to input from VA healthcare providers and veterans “who sounded the alarm that abortion restrictions are creating a medical emergency for those we serve.”…