Medical practice and the exercisability of the right to abortion: the real-world effects of restricting abortion to six weeks

Journal article

This article explains how a formal reduction in the gestational age for accessing abortion—from twelve weeks to six weeks—is, in practice, equivalent to a drastic reduction: from twelve weeks to only two or three. Based on this, it argues that such a reduction substantially affects the exercise of the right to abortion. The article is divided into three parts. The first presents the case of Aguascalientes, Mexico, where the gestational age limit was recently reduced to six weeks, and from there examines the status of this right in the country. The second part develops the main argument: that a formal reduction from twelve to six weeks is equivalent, in practice, to a reduction from twelve to two or three weeks. The third part responds to objections, primarily the one that maintains that, upon careful reading, the Aguascalientes Penal Code establishes a reduction from twelve weeks to only six. The conclusion explains why this reduction substantially affects the exercise of the right to abortion and why it is important to have harmony between legislative and medical definitions when regulating access to abortion.

Authors: Palacios-González, C

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: University Program of Bioethics of UNAM
• Journal: Bioetica UNAM More from this journal
• Volume: 4
• Publication date: 2026-10-30
• Acceptance date: 2026-06-13
• DOI: 10.22201/pub.bioeticaunam.2026.4.106
• Language: Spanish
• Keywords: abortion; legal restriction of pregnancy; gestational age; medical practice; legal termination of pregnancy; reproductive health; pregnancy diagnosis; public health policies