A protester attends a Women’s March rally in Phoenix, Arizona, in 2022.
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A protester attends a Women’s March rally in Phoenix, Arizona, in 2022.
Mario Tama/Getty Images
A lot has happened on abortion access in the nearly two years since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
State laws are changing all the time, new bans have gone into effect, and there have been numerous lawsuits and ballot measures.
All circumstances have been considered Host Mary Louise Kelly sits down with NPR reproductive rights reporter Elissa Nadworny and NPR’s health policy reporting Selena Simmons-Duffin to discuss the state of abortion.
Fourteen states have complete bans on abortion, with very limited exceptions. Several other states have six-week bans.
“Florida is the latest place where this has happened [six-week ban] to take effect. States such as Nebraska ban abortion after 12 weeks. In Arizona, it’s 15 weeks. More than half the states have restrictions. In these states, the number of abortions has dropped dramatically,” Nadworny said.
But despite this trend, the total number of abortions in the United States has actually increased, in part because telemedicine appointments, which can provide medical abortions, have become increasingly available.
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what voters want
When it comes to voting, Nadworny said abortion rights have always been a winning issue.
“Nationally, polls show that 6 in 10 Americans say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, but that may vary by state,” she said. “But since Dobbs, voters in six states have weighed in on constitutional amendments on abortion. Voters chose abortion every time.”
Four states – Colorado, Florida, Maryland and South Dakota – will vote on abortion rights in the upcoming election. Six other states, including Arizona and Missouri, are working to put it on the ballot.
In 2022, people gathered at the Utah State Capitol after Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito leaked a draft opinion indicating the court was poised to overturn Roe v. Wade.
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They may also be reacting to what they see this fall when voters have limited access to reproductive health care.
One doctor who spoke to NPR said that in states with stricter bans, such as Idaho, dozens of obstetricians and gynecologists have left the state. Three maternity wards have closed since the state’s abortion ban came into effect. Hiring problems are widespread for hospitals operating in states that ban abortion.
what can be changed
Simons-Duffin said that while abortion access is declining in some states, it is getting more protections and funding in others. when Roe v. Wade Although it is in place, there are many restrictions and regulations on when and how the procedure can be performed.
“Some states, like Michigan, Colorado, Minnesota, California, have taken action to lift some of these rules,” she said. “They’re lifting rules like waiting periods and gestation limits,” Simmons-Duffin said.
“They are allowing more types of providers, like nurse practitioners, to provide abortion services. They are training more providers to perform abortions. Some states have stockpiled mifepristone, which is one of the drugs that can be used for abortions, in case future use opportunities are limited.
Simons-Duffin added that some places, such as New York City, have made abortion centers part of their health departments. “So you can call a phone number and find out where you can get an abortion and how to get funds to pay for it,” she said.
Meanwhile, two major Supreme Court decisions on abortion remain pending, due to be announced next month:
Simmons-Duffin added: “Both decisions will be made in early summer, just months before the election. So regardless of what the judges decide, abortion will be back in the headlines at a critical time for voters.” .
For a full discussion of abortion in the United States, listen to the show below think about this Click the play button at the top of the page.
