Abortion in the United States

Check Out New and Updated KFF Resources to Learn More About the Future of Abortion Following the Overturning of Roe v. Wade 

2 years ago

For the latest information on abortion, visit our Abortion in the U.S. Dashboard. 

On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court issued its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, overturning Roe v. Wade, eliminating the federal standard protecting the right to abortion. Across the nation, states are reacting by implementing bans or protecting access to abortion. It is now up to each state to establish laws protecting or restricting abortion in the absence of a federal standard. Access to safe legal abortions now depends on where you live and the national divide in access to abortion care has been intensified. The map below shows the status of the implementation of abortion laws across the country.

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Here are some new and just updated KFF resources relevant to this Supreme Court case and abortion access:

Policy Watch: Reading the Post-Roe Tea Leaves in States Without Abortion Bans or Protections

• In recent months, many states have enacted laws to either prohibit abortions or to expand and protect access to abortion in anticipation of the Supreme Court’s likely ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade. There has been less clarity, however, about what abortion access will be like in the 17 states that do not have any explicit laws either upholding abortion rights or prohibiting abortion. Our latest Policy Watch looks at the state of play with current abortion access in these 17 states, expecting that some may act to further restrict abortion access through new or expanded abortion restrictions if the Court overturns Roe.

Issue Brief: Abortion at SCOTUS: Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health

• This issue brief provides background on the legal challenges to the Mississippi law in the context of the Supreme Court abortion precedents, addresses the intersections with the litigation that have arisen from S.B. 8, the Texas 6-week abortion ban, and explains the potential outcomes and how they could impact access to abortion in states around the country.

Issue Brief: State Actions to Protect and Expand Access to Abortion Services

• This brief reviews the status of state actions to strengthen and guarantee abortion access to their residents, as well as to prepare for the likely increase in demand for abortion services in those states should the high court overturn the constitutional right to abortion established by Roe v. Wade.

Policy Watch: Employer Coverage of Travel Costs for Out-of-State Abortion

• This Policy Watch gives an overview of the issues raised for employers offering to cover abortion related travel expenses as well as for the workers who will need to go out of state for an abortion in the context of increasing restrictions on abortion around the country. We discuss who is offering these benefits, the implications for workers, and some of the legal and political considerations for employers.

Webinar Recording: In Focus with KFF: What Happens if Roe v. Wade is Overturned? 

• On June 9, KFF released findings from the national public opinion survey on abortion. The event highlighted key issues presented by KFF experts including public awareness and attitudes towards the impending Supreme Court opinion, knowledge of abortion and related health care, and the importance of abortion policy to voting preferences in this year’s midterm elections, as well as KFF analysis of the potential impact of the ruling and future legal issues it may raise.

Chart of the Week: State Laws Affecting Abortion Access if Roe v. Wade is Overturned

Infographic: The Availability and Use of Medication Abortion Care

• This infographic highlights key data and current state and federal policies regarding the availability and effectiveness of medication abortion in the United States.

Factsheet: The Availability and Use of Medication Abortion

• This factsheet provides an overview of medication abortion, with a focus on federal and state regulations pertaining to its provision and coverage, and the role of the drug in self-managed abortions.

Interactive: State Profiles for Women’s Health

• Explore the latest national and state-specific data and policies on women’s health. In addition to abortion policies, topics include maternal and infant health, health status, insurance and Medicaid coverage policy and eligibility, use of preventive services, and sexual health. Many indicators also provide state-level information for women of different racial and ethnic groups.

KHN: Black Women Have Much at Stake in States Where Abortion Access May Vanish

• Black women disproportionately use abortion services across much of the South — where access is largely set to vanish if the Supreme Court this term overturns its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. And the consequences may be as much a risk to their economic opportunities as their health.

KHN: Misinformation Clouds America’s Most Popular Emergency Contraception

• At a moment when half of U.S. states stand poised to outlaw or sharply curtail abortion services, the last-ditch pill for women aiming to stave off an unwanted pregnancy rests in the unlikely stewardship of two private equity firms whose investment portfolios range from Italian foods to vineyard management to children’s cough medicine. See the latest KHN coverage on abortion here.