Missouri Enacts 72-Hour Wait Period for Abortions

Missouri has passed a 72-hour waiting period for women seeking abortions in that state.

The measure requires women to consult a physician and then wait three days before having an abortion.

Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon had vetoed the measure, calling it "extreme and disrespectful" toward women because it included no exceptions for rape and incest.

But Missouri lawmakers overrode his veto. The Republican-led legislature argued that all unborn lives have an equal value no matter how they're conceived.

Supporters of the legislation describe it as a "reflection period" for women and their families.

Linda Raymond of St. Louis said she regrets the abortion she had 38 years ago and might have acted differently if she had been offered information about alternatives, seen an ultrasound of the fetus and been required to take more time to think about her decision.

"A 72-hour time frame is compassionate for women," Raymond said.

Missouri's current law requires physicians to provide women information about medical risks and alternatives to abortion and offer them an opportunity for an ultrasound of their unborn baby.