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This election season, one of the top issues on the minds of many voters is abortion

especially those that happen later in pregnancy. People tend to think of abortions

that happen either in the second or third

trimester in a different way than we think of abortions that happen earlier in

pregnancy. It's Tuesday, October 29th, and you're listening to Science Friday.

I'm Scifry producer Shishana Bucksbaum.

We're continuing our coverage of how science is showing up on the ballot this

November. In particular, there's been a focus on abortions in the third trimester of pregnancy.

Some of the rhetoric is inflammatory and false, but even among some pro-choice

politicians, there's a tendency to deflect attention away from these procedures later in pregnancy.

Though third-termester abortions are rare, they make up just about 1% of abortions in the

U.S. They're often the most stigmatized. They're only legal in a small number of states and only

a fraction of providers perform them.

So what's the real science behind this issue?

Here's guest host Sophie Bushwick with more.

Joining me now to help us better understand third trimester abortions are my guests.

Dr. Katrina Kimport, professor in the Department of Obstetrics,

Gynecology, and reproductive sciences at the University of California, San Francisco, and Dr. Kara

Husser, a maternal and fetal medicine physician who specializes in high-risk

pregnancy and complex abortion care based in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Both of you, welcome to Science Friday.

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