The State Abortion Fund has a number of restrictions on it.

Under state regulations, the fund may only help pay for abortions for women who are pregnant because of rape or incest or whose lives are endangered, not merely impaired. A written statement from a state-certified doctor is required.

In addition, women must have an income below the federal poverty level ($14,000 a year in 2008 for a two-person household) and not be eligible for Medicaid. All requests must receive prior approval from the state Division of Social Services. 

The woman may not have been pregnant for more than 140 days (five months) unless the woman's life is endangered and the Division of Social Services approves.

Minors may only receive abortions with the consent of a parent or the head of a local foster care agency who has received court approval.

Pro-choice groups are ready to defend the State Abortion Fund.

Sean Kosofsky, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina, said that his group will work to prevent the state fund designed to help poor women pay for abortions from being stripped from the budget, as was suggested by a state budget official last week.

Restrictions on the use of the fund have kept it unused since 1995, but Kosofsky said NARAL's long-term goal is to lessen the restrictions and increase the funding — tasks that would be more difficult if the program is cut entirely.

He also said it would be a pointless to end the program.

"If the money is not used, it will be available anyway," he said. "We think it's important to leave that money in place to send a message that this is a state that cares about women's reproductive health."

"This is not just symbolic," he added. "We're hoping to peel back these restrictions someday."

North Carolina's state-funded abortions were unusual in the South.

According to a 2002 study of the State Abortion Fund by North Carolina professor Philip Morgan and Allan Parnell, the state has "a history of supporting abortion rights" despite its political conservatism.

In a brief history of the fund, they note that state abortion laws were liberalized in 1967, allowing legal abortions in the case of medical emergencies, rape and incest.

In 1976, three years after Roe v. Wade legalized abortion, Congress passed the Hyde Amendment, which restricted the use of Medicaid dollars for abortion services. In 1978, North Carolina responded by creating the State Abortion Fund.

Initially, women only had to be state residents with a low income (either qualifying for welfare or making 50 percent of poverty level).

In 1985, a requirement was added that a doctor had to certify the abortion was medically necessary, either because it was a result of rape or incest, the fetus was deformed, the woman was mentally retarded, or the woman's physical, mental or emotional health was at risk.

In 1990, the legislature reduced the limit from 135 days to 112 days of gestation and allowed women one state-funded abortion under the health impairment rule.

In 1995, the budget was slashed from $1 million to $50,000 a year. Further restrictions have left even the smaller fund unused every year since.