# Mississippi abortion vis-a-vis 15 weeks **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 2, 2021, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-abortion-vis-a-vis-15-weeks/955372 "2021-12-02T14:08:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Honolulu\_Lulu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/87869e/32.png) [@Honolulu\_Lulu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honolulu_Lulu)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2021, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-abortion-vis-a-vis-15-weeks/955372/1 "2021-12-02T14:08:01Z")
On one hand, how is 15 weeks measured? From the onset of the prior menstrual period? How do they know when that occurred or when I had sex? Suppose the doctors think I’m 18 weeks pregnant, but I insist it’s no more than 12 weeks and I have a receipt for tampons that I purchased 11 weeks ago. (What they don’t know is that I bought the tampons in anticipation of a menstrual period that never occurred. I kept the receipt just for this occasion) ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2021, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-abortion-vis-a-vis-15-weeks/955372/2 "2021-12-03T10:23:33Z")
I don’t why tampon purchase would be proof of a particular and dated menstrual period. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2021, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-abortion-vis-a-vis-15-weeks/955372/3 "2021-12-03T11:11:10Z")
I think the start of pregnancy is typically measured from the date of your last period, but the measurement is probably done using fetal development. Otherwise, anyone seeking an abortion would just say that they got their period 6 weeks ago or whatever. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2021, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-abortion-vis-a-vis-15-weeks/955372/4 "2021-12-03T11:33:48Z")
It’s not absolute proof, but it could be evidence in a criminal trial. Most trials rely on reasonable conclusions drawn from evidence. You can also bleed when your pregnant, so a person could be mistaken. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2021, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-abortion-vis-a-vis-15-weeks/955372/5 "2021-12-03T12:29:14Z")
I don’t have 3 or 4 periods every time my preferred brand is on special offer… ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2021, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-abortion-vis-a-vis-15-weeks/955372/6 "2021-12-03T12:46:16Z")
Well, sure, but if I were on a jury and the woman had a receipt for tampons, I might consider that enough for reasonable doubt that she thought she could be no more that X weeks pregnant. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2021, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-abortion-vis-a-vis-15-weeks/955372/7 "2021-12-06T03:53:27Z")
If I ever end up on a jury in an abortion trial, I’m voting not guilty.