South Carolina abortion ban with unclear ‘fetal heartbeat’ definition creates confusion, doctors say

When the South Carolina Supreme Court upheld a ban on most abortions this week, the majority wrote that they were leaving “for another day” a decision on when, exactly, the “fetal heartbeat” limit begins during pregnancy. Doctors practicing under the strict law cannot similarly punt on that question.Physicians say the statute's unclear guidance is already chilling medical practice at the few abortion clinics that operate in the conservative stat…