Arizona lawmaker announces she will have an abortion

PHOENIX, Ariz. (CBS, KYMA/KECY) - An Arizona lawmaker made a very personal announcement during a floor speech on Monday.

Democratic state Senator Eva Burch will be getting an abortion after finding out her pregnancy is not viable. Burch has been pregnant for about eight weeks, and Arizona’s abortion ban begins at 15.

The mother of two had her first miscarriage 13 years ago and has had several other failed attempts at having children.

She says the current laws muddy the waters, putting doctors and patients in difficult and dangerous situations.

"The last time I had an abortion, I started to miscarry the night before it was scheduled to take place. And I was denied a procedure in the hospital because I was deemed not critical enough. In spite of the fact that my embryo had died and my miscarriage had stalled."

Sen. Eva Burch (D-Ariz.)

Arizona’s Supreme Court is considering reinstating a law from the 1800s that would implement a near-total ban, but abortion rights groups are trying to get a state constitutional amendment on the ballot this November that would allow abortions up to about 24 weeks.