North Dakota has trigger law to ban abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned

(Bismarck, ND) -- North Dakota is one of a number of states that has trigger laws in place that could automatically outlaw abortions if Roe v. Wade is overturned.

Abortion is currently legal prior to 20 weeks and is strictly regulated. Rape, incest, preventing the death of the pregnant woman, and specific medical emergencies would continue to be legal defenses for having an abortion under the trigger law.

Attorney General Drew Wrigley says he won't discuss a leaked draft opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court.

After the leaked document circulated, protestors took to the streets across the country, including in the hundreds in Fargo, to speak out against the possibility of the legislation being thrown out.

In the meantime, Minnesota Planned Parenthood Clinics are expecting a surge in patients seeking abortions if trigger laws banning abortion in North Dakota and South Dakota go into effect. The organization's chief medical officer said Tueday that clinics are expecting a ten-to 25-percent increase in patients if the landmark Roe v. Wade decision is overturned.