A protester attends the Women’s March protest in Phoenix, Arizona in 2022.
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A protester attends the Women’s March protest in Phoenix, Arizona in 2022.
Mario Tama/Getty Images
A lot has happened to abortion access in the nearly two years since the Supreme Court overturned it Roe v. Wade.
State laws have been constantly changing, new bans have come into force and are already in place series of lawsuits and ballot measures.
All things Considered host Mary Louise Kelly sat down with NPR reproductive rights correspondent Elissa Nadworny and Selena Simmons-Duffin, who covers health policy at NPR, to look at the state of abortion.
There are total abortion bans with very few exceptions in 14 states. A few more states have six-week bans.
“Florida is most recent location For this [six-week ban] effective. There are states like Nebraska bans abortion after 12 weeks. IN Arizona, 15 weeks to go. More than half of states have restrictions. And in those states, the number of abortions has dropped significantly,” Nadworny said.
But despite that trend, overall The number of abortions in America has actually increased — partly due to the increased accessibility of telehealth appointments that can provide medication abortions.
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What do voters want?
When it comes to voting, Nadworny says abortion rights have been a winning issue.
“Nationwide, polling shows 6 in 10 Americans say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, but that can vary by state,” she said. “But since Dobbs, voters in six states have considered constitutional amendments on abortion. Each time voters chose access to abortion.”
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 get it on the ballot.
People gathered in Utah’s capital in 2022 after Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s leaked draft opinion suggested the court was ready to overturn Roe v. Wade.
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Voters this fall may also be reacting to what they’ve seen as their access to reproductive health care is limited.
In states with more restrictive bans, like Idaho, dozens of obstetricians and gynecologists have left the state, according to one doctor who spoke to NPR. And three maternity wards were closed since the state abortion ban took effect. Recruitment problems are common for hospitals operating in states with abortion bans.
What can change?
Simmons-Duffin said that while abortion access is being restricted in some states, it receives more protections and funding in others. When Roe v. Wade has been applied, there are many restrictions and regulations on when and how to carry out the procedure.
“Some states like Michigan, Colorado, Minnesota, California and others have made moves to roll back some of those regulations,” she said. “They are eliminating things like waiting periods and pregnancy limits,” Simmons-Duffin said.
“They are allowing more types of providers like nurses to perform abortions. They are training more abortion providers. Some states have stockpiled Mifepristone, one of the drugs that can used for abortion, in case access is limited in the future.”
Simmons-Duffin added that some places, like New York City, have made abortion centers part of their health departments. “So you can call a number and find out where to get an abortion and how to get money to cover the costs,” she said.
Meanwhile, there are still two important abortion decisions pending before the Supreme Court that will be announced next month:
“Both of these decisions will be made in early summer, just months before the election,” Simmons-Duffin added. So regardless of what the justices decide, it will put the abortion issue back in the headlines at a crucial time for voters.” .
For a full discussion of abortion in America, listen to the episode Consider this by clicking the play button at the top of the page.
