References & Edit History Related Topics
Britannica AI Icon

Assessment quiz

After reading the above debate, take our assessment quiz to test your knowledge of this issue. Good luck!

1-minute survey

After reading this debate, take our quick survey to see how this information affected your opinion of this topic. We appreciate your feedback.

Discussion questions

  1. Should abortion be legal? Explain your answer.
  2. What institution should decide whether abortion should be legal? The federal government, state governments, or potentially a global organization? Explain your answer.
  3. Consider related policies such as access to birth control and family planning, childcare availability, and laws to protect people from sexual assault. How do these policies impact your opinion on whether abortion should be legal? Explain your answers.
  4. What questions do you have after reading the debate above? Where might you find answers?
  5. What was the most interesting thing you learned from this debate?
  6. Consider how you felt about the issue before reading this article. After reading the pros and cons on this topic, has your thinking changed? How and why? If your thoughts have not changed, explain how and why you better understand the other side of the debate.
  7. Push for the position and policies you support by writing local officials, U.S. senators and representatives, or other people in a position to make the change you champion.

Sources

  1. Guttmacher Institute, “Induced Abortion in the United States” (July 2014), guttmacher.org
  2. Suzanne M. Alford, “Is Self-Abortion a Fundamental Right?” (March 2003), Duke Law Journal
  3. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, “Induced Abortion” (November 2008), acog.org
  4. Lawrence B. Finer and Stanley K. Henshaw, “Abortion Incidence and Services in the United States in 2000” (January/February 2003), Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  5. Monica Davey, “Nebraska Law Sets Limits on Abortion” (April 13, 2010), nytimes.com
  6. Roe v. Wade (January 22, 1973), lp.findlaw.com
  7. Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey (June 29, 1992), law.cornell.edu
  8. “Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003” (November 5, 2003), gpo.gov
  9. Gonzales, Attorney General v. Carhart et al. / Gonzales, Attorney General v. Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc., et al. (April 18, 2007), lp.findlaw.com
  10. “Policy Statement of the United States of America at the United Nations International Conference on Population (Second Session)” (August 16-13, 1984), populationaction.org
  11. Barack Obama, “Executive Order: Ensuring Enforcement and Implementation of Abortion Restrictions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act” (March 24, 2010), whitehouse.gov
  12. Nathan Koppel, “Arizona Criminalizes Certain Abortions” (March 30, 2011), wsj.com
  13. Rachel K. Jones and Kathryn Kooistra, “Abortion Incidence and Access to Services in the United States, 2008” (March 2011), Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
  14. Sandhya Somashekhar, “Study: Abortion Rate at Lowest Point Since 1973” (February 2, 2014), washingtonpost.com
  15. British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), “Historical Attitudes to Abortion” bbc.co.uk (accessed April 21, 2014)
  16. Malcolm Potts, et al, (1977), Abortion
  17. American Pregnancy Association, “First Fetal Movement: Quickening” (July 2007), americanpregnancy.org
  18. National Abortion Federation, “History of Abortion” prochoice.org (accessed April 21, 2014)
  19. Chicago Tribune, “Timeline of Abortion Laws and Events” (2014), chicagotribune.com
  20. Kate Manning, “Leeches, Lye and Spanish Fly” (January 21, 2013), nytimes.com
  21. Dorothy E. McBride (2008), Abortion in the United States: A Reference Handbook
  22. Justin Dyer, “Fictional Abortion History” (December 24, 2012), nationalreview.com
  23. Office on Women’s Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “Pregnancy: Stages of Pregnancy” (September 27, 2010), womenshealth.gov
  24. Joshua Prager, “The Accidental Activist” (February 2013), vanityfair.com
  25. CNN Library, “Roe v. Wade Fast Facts” (November 4, 2013), cnn.com
  26. Richard N. Ostling, “A Second Religious Conversion for ’Jane Roe’ of Roe vs. Wade” (October 19, 1998), texnews.com
  27. Guttmacher Institute, “State Policies in Brief: State Policies on Later Abortions” (April 1, 2014), guttmacher.org
  28. Liz Halloran and Julie Rovner, “High Court’s Pass on ’Fetal Pain’ Abortion Case Unlikely to Cool Debate” (January 13, 2014), npr.org
  29. Suzanne M. Alford, “Is Self-Abortion a Fundamental Right?” (2003), Duke Law Journal, scholarship.law.duke.edu
  30. Alex McBride, “Landmark Cases: Casey v. Planned Parenthood (1992)” pbs.org (accessed April 21, 2014)
  31. Janet Benshoof, “Planned Parenthood v. Casey: The Impact of the New Undue Burden Standard on Reproductive Health Care” (May 5, 1993), JAMA, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  32. NBC News, “Planned Parenthood v. Casey” (June 29, 1992), archives.nbclearn.com
  33. Michael Muskal, “Pact Reached to Keep North Dakota’s Only Abortion Clinic Open” (March 14, 2014), latimes.com
  34. Irin Carmon, “Appeals Court Upholds Law That Closed Texas Abortion Clinics” (March 28, 2014), msnbc.com
  35. Manny Fernandez, “In Texas, a Senator’s Stand Catches the Spotlight” (June 26, 2013), nytimes.com
  36. Chicago Tribune editorial staff, “Editorial: The Decline of Abortion” (February 4, 2014), chicagotribune.com
  37. Alex Witchel, “At Home with: Norma McCorvey; Of Roe, Dreams And Choices” (July 28, 1994), nytimes.com
  38. Dan Balz, “The GOP Takeover in the States” (November 13, 2010), washingtonpost.com
  39. Pete Williams, “Supreme Court Strikes down Strict Texas Abortion Law” (June 27, 2016), nbcnews.com
  40. Donald J. Trump, “Presidential Memorandum Regarding the Mexico City Policy” (January 23, 2017), whitehouse.gov
  41. Carolyn J. Davis, et al, “Young People Set to Impact the Debate on Women’s Health Issues” (2018), prri.org
  42. Marist Poll and Knights of Columbus, “Americans’ Opinions on Abortion” (January 2018), kofc.org
  43. Hannah Fingerhut, “About Seven-in-Ten Americans Oppose Overturning Roe v. Wade” (January 3, 2017), pewresearch.org
  44. Tara C. Jatlaoui, et al, “Abortion Surveillance - United States, 2014” (November 24, 2017), cdc.gov
  45. Elizabeth Nash, et al, “Policy Trends in the States, 2017” (January 2, 2018), guttmacher.org
  46. Elizabeth Nash, et al, “Policy Trends in the States: First Quarter 2018” (April 17, 2018), guttmacher.org
  47. Sarah Fowler, “Judge Blocks Mississippi’s 15-Week Abortion Ban from Going into Effect” (March 20, 2018), usatoday.com
  48. Associated Press, “Iowa Judge Agrees to Halt Fetal Heartbeat Abortion Law” (June 1, 2018), cbsnews.com
  49. Jennifer Haberkorn, “North Dakota’s Six-Week Abortion Ban Struck” (July 22, 2015), politico.com
  50. Nina Totenberg, “Supreme Court Declines to Hear Challenge to Arkansas Abortion Law” (May 29, 2018), npr.org
  51. Guttmacher Institute, “Abortion Bans in Cases of Sex or Race Selection or Genetic Anomaly” (June 1, 2018), guttmacher.org
  52. Guttmacher Institute, “Requirements for Ultrasound” (June 1, 2018), guttmacher.org
  53. NRLC, “Abortion Statistics: United States Data and Trends - Reported Annual Abortions” nrlc.org (accessed June 12, 2018)
  54. Guttmacher Institute, “Induced Abortion in the United States” (January 2018), guttmacher.org
  55. Abortion Care Network, “Communities Need Clinics” (2017), abortioncarenetwork.org
  56. Pete Williams, “Detained Pregnant Teen Can Get Abortion, Appeal Court Rules” (October 24, 2017), nbcnews.com
  57. Justia, “Rochelle Garza v. Eric Hargan, No. 17-5276 (D.C. Cir. 2017)” law.justia.com (accessed April 23, 2026)
  58. American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), “ACLU’s Class-Action Challenge to Trump’s Administration’s No-Abortion Policy Continues in Lower Courts” (June 4, 2018), aclu.org
  59. Pew Research Center, “Public Opinion on Abortion: Views on Abortion, 1995-2017” (July 7, 2017), pewforum.org
  60. Alabama Secretary of State, “Fair Ballot Commission: 2017-2018 Statewide Constitutional Amendments - Ballot Statements” sos.alabama.gov (accessed November 7, 2018)
  61. West Virginia Legislature, “2018 Regular Session - Enrolled Committee Substitute for Senate Joint Resolution 12” (March 5, 2018), wvlegislature.gov
  62. Guttmacher Institute, “Abortion Policy in the Absence of Roe” (April 1, 2019), guttmacher.org
  63. Susan Milligan, “Oregon Passes Law Protecting Abortion and Reproductive Rights” (August 15, 2017), usnews.com
  64. Erin Corbett, “Abortion Is Still Legal in All 50 States” (May 17, 2019, fortune.com
  65. Katie Reilly, “Alabama’s Abortion Ban Is Designed to Challenge Roe v. Wade at the Supreme Court. Here’s What Happens Next” (May 15, 2019), time.com
  66. Amanda Michelle Gomez, “States Are Already Pre-Filing ‘Fetal Heartbeat’ Bans for the New Year” (December 20, 2018), thinkprogress.org
  67. Marisa Iati and Deanna Paul, “Everything You Need to Know about the Abortion Ban News” (May 17, 2019), washingtonpost.com
  68. Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux, “Here’s Why the Anti-Abortion Movement Is Escalating” (May 21, 2019), fivethirtyeight.com
  69. Rachel K. Jones, Elizabeth Witwer, and Jenna Jerman, “Abortion Incidence and Service Availability in the United States, 2017” (September 2019), guttmacher.org
  70. Jennifer Haberkorn, “Amid Coronavirus Outbreak Some Red States Move to Restrict Abortion, Spurring Legal Fight” (April 9, 2020), latimes.com
  71. Patricia Bauer, “Norma McCorvey” (May 21, 2020), britannica.com
  72. Alexandra Sternlicht, “Abortion Pill Available By Mail During Pandemic, Court Rules” (July 14, 2020), forbes.com
  73. Joe Biden, “Memorandum on Protecting Women’s Health at Home and Abroad” (January 28, 2021), whitehouse.gov
  74. Megan Brenan, “Record-High 47% in U.S. Think Abortion Is Morally Acceptable” (June 8, 2021), news.gallup.com
  75. Lydia Saad, “Americans Still Oppose Overturning Roe v. Wade” (June 9, 2021), news.gallup.com
  76. Roni Caryn Rabin, “Answers to Questions about the Texas Abortion Law” (September 7, 2021), nytimes.com
  77. Ariel Edwards-Levy, “Fewer Than One-Third of Americans Want to See Roe v. Wade Overturned, New Polling Finds” (September 22, 2021), cnn.com
  78. Pam Belluck, “F.D.A. Will Permanently Allow Abortion Pills by Mail” (December 16, 2021), nytimes.com
  79. Josh Gerstein and Alexander Ward, “Supreme Court Has Voted to Overturn Abortion Rights, Draft Opinion Shows” (May, 2, 2022), politico.com
  80. Stephen Collinson, “Supreme Court Abortion Bombshell Suggests a Staggering Change in American Life” (May 3, 2022), cnn.com
  81. Guttmacher Institute, “Abortion Policy in the Absence of Roe” (April 4, 2022), guttmacher.org
  82. Ryan Nickerson and Jordan Ray-Hart, “What to Know about Texas’ Abortion Law, with Roe v. Wade Reportedly in Serious Jeopardy” (May 3, 2022), houstonchronicle.com
  83. Nicole Fallert, “State Abortion Restrictions Are Ramping up Like Never Before as the Supreme Court Prepares to Make a Crucial Decision” (February 18, 2022), buzzfeednews.com
  84. Alison Durkee, “Idaho Enacts Law Copying Texas’ Abortion Ban—and These States Might Be Next” (March 23, 2022), forbes.com
  85. Mary Kekatos, “Oklahoma Legislature Passes 6-Week Abortion Ban Similar to Texas Law” (April 28, 2022), abcnews.go.com
  86. CDC, “CDCs Abortion Surveillance System FAQs” (November 22, 2021), cdc.gov
  87. Dennis Thompson, “Abortion Remains Medically Safe for U.S. Women” (November 24, 2021), webmd.com
  88. Cynthia Koons, “The Abortion Pill Is Safer Than Tylenol and Almost Impossible to Get” (February 17, 2022), bloomberg.com
  89. Angela Hill and Karen Rodriguez, “Abortion Pill Restricted by FDA for Decades Has Better Safety Record than Penicillin and Viagra” (July 10, 2020), usatoday.com
  90. Elizabeth Weise, “Pregnancy-Related Deaths Could Rise 20% or More in States That Outlaw Abortion, Experts Say” (May 5, 2022), usatoday.com
  91. World Health Organization, “Abortion” (November 25, 2021), who.int
  92. Julia Ries, “Ectopic Pregnancies Are Dangerous. Will They Be Affected by Abortion Bans?” (May 11, 2022), healthline.com
  93. Charlotte Huff, “In Texas, Abortion Laws Inhibit Care for Miscarriages” (May 10, 2022), npr.org
  94. Roni Caryn Rabin, “Texas Abortion Law Complicates Care for Risky Pregnancies” (November 26, 2021), nytimes.com
  95. Editors of Encyclopédia Britannica, “Ectopic Pregnancy” britannica.com (accessed April 23, 2026)
  96. Krissi Danielsson, “Ectopic Pregnancy Statistics” (March 03, 2021), verywellfamily.com
  97. Anna North, “This Life-Threatening Pregnancy Complication Is the Next Frontier in the Abortion Debate” (September 11, 2019), vox.com
  98. Krissi Danielsson, “Different Types of Pregnancy Loss” (September 13, 2021), verywellfamily.com
  99. Ariana Eunjung Cha and Emily Wax-Thibodeaux, “Abortion Foes Push to Narrow ‘Life of Mother’ Exceptions” (May 18, 2022), washingtonpost.com
  100. Alicia Victoria Lozano, “Some Birth Control Could Be Banned If Roe v. Wade Is Overturned, Legal Experts Warn” (May 12, 2022), nbcnews.com
  101. David Lawder, “Yellen Says Ending Abortion Access Would Be ‘Damaging’ to U.S. Economy, Women” (May 10, 2022), reuters.com
  102. ANSIRH, “The Harms of Denying a Woman a Wanted Abortion Findings from the Turnaway Study” ansirh.org (accessed May 19, 2022)
  103. Anneken Tappe, “Limiting Abortion Access Is Bad for the Economy” (May 16, 2022), cnn.com
  104. Megan Burbank and Emily Kwong, “A Landmark Study Tracks the Lasting Effect of Having an Abortion—or Being Denied One” (May 15, 2022), npr.org
  105. ANSIRH, “​​The Turnaway Study” ansirh.org (accessed May 19, 2022)
  106. Cleveland Clinic, “Pregnancy: Ovulation, Conception & Getting Pregnant” clevelandclinic.org (accessed May 16, 2022)
  107. Joe Bukuras, “Experts Respond to Biden: Biology and Theology Agree, Human Life Begins at Conception” (March 4, 2022), catholicnewsagency.com
  108. Philip Pullella, “Pope Says Abortion Is ’Murder’ but U.S. Bishops Should Not Be Political” (September 15, 2021), reuters.com
  109. CNA Staff, “Cardinal Tobin, Colorado Bishops Warn against Federal Abortion Funding” (July 8, 2021), catholicnewsagency.com
  110. John L. Allen Jr. and InĂ©s San MartĂ­n, “Tobin: Abortion, Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric Both ‘Brutalize’ the American Heart” (July 6, 2017), cruxnow.com
  111. Alexander J. Sheffrin, “Alveda King Calls Abortion ’Racist’” (April 15, 2008), christianpost.com
  112. Box v. Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky, Inc. (May 28, 2019), supremecourt.gov
  113. Elizabeth Weise, “How Many Abortions Are Actually Performed in the U.S.? Rates Have Declined for Decades.” (May 5, 2022), usatoday.com
  114. Katherine Kortsmit, et al., “Abortion Surveillance—United States, 2019” (November 26, 2021), cdc.gov
  115. Catherine E Whitley, Sally B Rose, Dalice Sim, and Hera Cook, “Association Between Women’s Use of Long-Acting Reversible Contraception and Declining Abortion Rates in New Zealand” (October 10, 2019), pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  116. M. Gissler, ​​F. Gyllenberg, M. Juselius, and O. Heikinheimo, “Long-Acting Reversible Contraception Free of Charge Decreases Abortion Rates” (November 21, 2018), academic.oup.com
  117. Charles Fain Lehman, “Fewer American High Schoolers Having Sex Than Ever Before” (September 1, 2020), ifstudies.org
  118. Dolores RamĂ­rez-Villalobos, et al., “Delaying Sexual Onset: Outcome of a Comprehensive Sexuality Education Initiative for Adolescents in Public Schools” (July 21, 2021), bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com
  119. Tamara Dean, “Safer Than Childbirth” (March 4, 2022), theamericanscholar.org
  120. Megan Brenan, “Steady 58% of Americans Do Not Want Roe v. Wade Overturned” (June 2, 2022), news.gallup.com
  121. Lydia Saad, “‘Pro-Choice’ Identification Rises to Near Record High in U.S.” (June 2, 2022), news.gallup.com
  122. Ariane de Vogue, “Supreme Court Overturns Roe v. Wade” (June 24, 2022), cnn.com
  123. John Kruzel, “Supreme Court Strikes down Roe v. Wade” (June 24, 2022), thehill.com
  124. Greg Stohr, “Supreme Court Overturns Roe v. Wade Abortion-Rights Ruling” (June 24, 2022), news.bloomberglaw.com
  125. Veronica Stracqualursi, “California Legislature Passes Bill to Protect Abortion Providers and Patients from Civil Suits” (June 24, 2022), cnn.com
  126. White House, “Executive Order on Protecting Access to Reproductive Healthcare Services” (July 8, 2022), whitehouse.gov
  127. Kate Sullivan, “Here’s What’s in Biden’s Executive Order on Abortion Rights” (July 8, 2022), cnn.com
  128. Jen Christensen, “Biden Administration Says Federal Law Preempts State Abortion Bans When Emergency Care Is Needed” (July 11, 2022), cnn.com
  129. U.S. Health and Human Services, “Following President Biden’s Executive Order to Protect Access to Reproductive Health Care, HHS Announces Guidance to Clarify that Emergency Medical Care Includes Abortion Services” (July 11, 2022), hhs.gov
  130. U.S. Health and Human Services Department Office for Civil Rights, “Guidance to Nation’s Retail Pharmacies: Obligations under Federal Civil Rights Laws to Ensure Access to Comprehensive Reproductive Health Care Services” (July 13, 2022), hhs.gov
  131. Jen Christensen, “Biden Administration Says Pharmacies Can’t Turn Away People Who Have a Prescription for a Drug That May End a Pregnancy” (July 13, 2022), cnn.com
  132. Carrie Feibel, “Pharmacies May Violate Civil Rights If They Refuse Meds Linked to Abortion, Feds Warn” (July 13, 2022), npr.org
  133. Tierney Sneed, “Texas Sues Biden Administration over Guidance Directed at Reproductive Care for Emergency Room Patients” (July 14, 2022), cnn.com
  134. Chris Boyette and Tierney Sneed, “Federal Judge Blocks HHS Guidance That Emergency Medical Care Must Include Abortion Services” (August 24, 2022), cnn.com
  135. Tierney Sneed, “Judge Blocks Enforcement of Idaho’s Abortion Ban in Medical Emergencies Day before It Was Set to Take Effect” (August 24, 2022), cnn.com
  136. Department of Veterans Affairs, “38 CFR Part 17 RIN 2900-AR57 Reproductive Health Services” (September 2, 2022), womenshealth.va.gov
  137. Michaeleen Doucleff, “Do Restrictive Abortion Laws Actually Reduce Abortion? A Global Map Offers Insights” (June 27, 2022), npr.org
  138. Katherine Dillinger and Evan Perez, “FDA to Allow Pharmacies to Dispense Abortion Pills to Patients” (January 3, 2023), cnn.com
  139. Pam Belluck, “The F.D.A. Now Says It Plainly: Morning-After Pills Are Not Abortion Pills” (December 23, 2022), nytimes.com
  140. David W. Chen and Pam Belluck, “Wyoming Becomes First State to Outlaw the Use of Pills for Abortion” (March 17, 2023), nytimes.com
  141. Pam Belluck, “Two Federal Judges Issued Opposing Rulings on Abortion Pills. Here’s What’s Going On.” (April 8, 2023), nytimes.com
  142. Anne Flaherty, Mireya Villarreal, and Ashley Riegle, “DOJ Files Appeal after Judge Reverses FDA Approval of Abortion Drug” (April 8, 2023), abcnews.go.com
  143. Tierney Sneed, “Rival Rulings on Medication Abortion Hypercharge the Post-Roe Legal War” (April 8, 2023), cnn.com
  144. Associated Press, “Federal Appeals Court Preserves Access to Abortion Drug but with Tighter Rules” (April 13, 2023), npr.org
  145. Ximena Bustillo and Lexie Schapitl, “Supreme Court Briefly Puts On Hold Lower Court’s Limits on Abortion Drug Mifepristone” (April 14, 2023), npr.org
  146. Nina Totenberg, “Supreme Court Blocks Lower Court Decision in Case on FDA Approval of Abortion Pill” (April 21, 2023), npr.org
  147. Claire Cain Miller and Margot Sanger-Katz, “Despite State Bans, Legal Abortions Didn’t Fall Nationwide in Year after Dobbs” (October 24, 2023), nytimes.com
  148. Catherine Porter, “French Lawmakers Enshrine Constitutional Right to Abortion” (March 4, 2024), nytimes.com
  149. Jaclyn Diaz and Alina Selyukh, “CVS and Walgreens to Start Dispensing Abortion Pill in States Where It’s Legal” (March 1, 2024), npr.org
  150. Selena Simmons-Duffin, “Despite Bans in Some States, More than a Million Abortions Were Provided in 2023” (March 19, 2023), npr.org
  151. Carter Sherman, “Kamala Harris Puts Abortion Front and Center with Visit to Minnesota Clinic” (March 14, 2024), theguardian.com
  152. Pew Research Center, “Public Opinion on Abortion” (May 13, 2024), pewresearch.org
  153. Patricia Mazzei, “Abortion Helps Realign Puerto Rico’s Politics, Giving Conservatives an Opening” (September 17, 2022), nytimes.com
  154. Center for Reproductive Rights, “Northern Mariana Islands” reproductiverights.org (accessed January 6, 2025)
  155. Nate Raymond, “U.S. Appeals Court Reinstates Guam In-Person Abortion Counseling Law” (August 1, 2023), reuters.com
  156. Center for Reproductive Rights, “American Samoa” reproductiverights.org (accessed January 6, 2025)
  157. Justia U.S. Law, “2019 US Virgin Islands Code Title 14 - Crimes Chapter 5 - Abortion § 151. Abortion Defined; When Authorized” law.justia.com (accessed January 6, 2025)
  158. Paulina Macías Ortega, “Progress and Pushback in Mexico’s Fight for Abortion Rights” (November 14, 2024), oneill. law.georgetown.edu
  159. Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, “The Gender Justice Collection: Belize Criminal Code” law.cornell.edu (accessed January 7, 2025)
  160. Chermaine Lee, “Reproductive Rights Elusive 1 Year after Japan’s Approval of Abortion Pill” (April 20, 2024), voanews.com
  161. British Pregnancy Advisory Service, “Abortion Law in Great Britain” bpas.org (accessed January 7, 2025)
  162. Community Legal Information Centre, “Abortion” clic.org.hk (accessed January 7, 2025)
  163. Amnesty International, “Access to Abortion Is a Human Right” (March 27, 2024), amnestyusa.org
  164. Center for Reproductive Rights, “Guam” reproductiverights.org (accessed January 6, 2025)
  165. White House, “Memorandum for the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Administrator of the United States for International Development” (January 24, 2024), whitehouse.gov
  166. White House, “Enforcing the Hyde Amendment” (January 24, 2025), whitehouse.gov
  167. J. David Goodman and Pam Belluck, “Texas Attorney General Sues New York Doctor for Mailing Abortion Pills” (December 13, 2024), nytimes.com
  168. CBS News New York, “New York Doctor Indicted for Prescribing Abortion Pill in Louisiana” (February 1, 2025), cbsnews.com
  169. CBS News New York, “New York to Further Shield Doctors from Abortion Lawsuits after Louisiana Indictment” (February 3, 2025), cbsnews.com
  170. Emily Schmall, “When States Banned Abortion, Sterilizations Rose Among Women” (September 11, 2024), nytimes.com
  171. Claire Cain Miller and Margot Sanger-Katz, “Abortions Have Increased, Even for Women in States with Rigid Bans” (October 22, 2024), nytimes.com
  172. Elizabeth Hlavinka, “Infant Deaths Rose Nationwide Following Overturn of Roe v. Wade, Study Finds” (October 21, 2024)salon.com
  173. Nicole Karlis, “People Are Fleeing Abortion Bans States: Report” (January 14, 2025), salon.com
  174. Daniel L. Dench, et al, “Are People Fleeing States with Abortion Bans?” (January 2025), nber.org
  175. Knights of Columbus Marist, “Americans’ Opinions on Abortion” (January 2025), kofc.org
  176. Associated Press, “Texas Judge Fines New York Doctor for Sending Abortion Pills to Texas” (February 14, 2025), npr.org
  177. Sheryl Gay Stolberg, “Trump Rescinds Biden Policy Requiring Hospitals to Provide Emergency Abortions” (June 3, 2025), nytimes.com
  178. J. David Goodman, “Texas Arrests Midwife and Associate on Charges of Providing Abortions” (March 17, 2025), nytimes.com
  179. Eleanor Klibanoff, “Texas’ First Abortion Arrests Stem from Monthlong Attorney General Investigation” (March 20, 2025), texastribune.org
  180. Drew Hawkins, “Judge Rules Alabama Can’t Prosecute Groups Helping Patients Get Abortions Elsewhere” (April 3, 2025), npr.org
  181. Amy Howe, “Court Decides Against Planned Parenthood” (June 26, 2025), scotusblog.com
  182. Lydia Saad, “Gender Gaps on Abortion Reach Historic Highs” (June 9, 2025), news.gallup.com
  183. Mead Gruver, “Abortion Stays Legal in Wyoming As Its Top Court Strikes Down Laws, Including First U.S. Pill Ban” (January 6, 2026, apnews.com
  184. Talia Curhan, “Medication Abortion” (December 1, 2025), guttmacher.org
  185. Britannica Editors, “Abortion” britannica.com (accessed April 24, 2026)
  186. Rebecca M. Kulik, “Pro-Choice Movement” britannica.com (accessed April 24, 2025)
  187. The American Presidency Project, “Party Platforms” presidency.ucsb.edu (accessed April 24, 2026)
  188. The American Presidency Project, “1976 Democratic Platform” presidency.ucsb.edu (accessed April 24, 2026)
  189. The American Presidency Project, “Republican Party Platform of 1976” presidency.ucsb.edu (accessed April 24, 2026)
  190. The American Presidency Project, “2024 Democratic Platform” presidency.ucsb.edu (accessed April 24, 2026)
  191. The American Presidency Project, “2024 GOP Platform Make America Great Again!” presidency.ucsb.edu (accessed April 24, 2026)
  192. Guttmacher Institute, “Fact Sheet: Abortion in the United States” (March 2026), guttmacher.org
  193. Guttmacher Institute, “Medication Abortion Within and Outside the Formal US Health Care System: What You Need to Know” (February 2024), guttmacher.org
  194. Kaiser Permanente, “Vacuum Aspiration” (May 5, 2025), healthy,kaiserpermanente.org
  195. Megan K. Donovan, “D&E Abortion Bans: The Implications of Banning the Most Common Second-Trimester Procedure” (2017) guttmacher.org
  196. Stephanie Ramer, et al, “Abortion Surveillance — United States, 2022” (November 28, 2024), cdc.gov
  197. Donna L. Hoyert, “Maternal Mortality Rates in the United States, 2022” (May 2, 2024), cdc.gov
  198. Annette Choi and Way Mullery, “Medication Abortion Is Safer Then Penicillin, Viagra and Procedural Abortion, CNN Analysis Shows” (September 25, 2025), cnn.com
  199. Gender Equity Policy Institute, “Maternal Mortality in the United States After Abortion Bans” (April 2025), thegepi.org
  200. Karen Diep, et al, “Abortion Trends Before and After Dobbs” (January 7, 2026), kff.org
  201. CDC, “Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report: 2013–2023” (2024), cdc.gov
  202. Barbara O’Brien, “Buddhist Perspectives on the Abortion Debate” (July 2, 2018), learnreligions.com
  203. Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, “A Social Statement on Abortion” (August 28–September 4, 1991), elca.org
  204. Episcopal Church, “The Acts of the Convention: Reaffirm General Convention Statement on Childbirth and Abortion” (1994), episcopalarchives.org
  205. Presbyterian Mission, “Abortion/Reproductive Choice Issues” presbyterianmission.org (accessed November 5, 2019)
  206. Unitarian Universalist Association, “Right to Choose: 1987 General Resolution” (1987), uua.org
  207. United Church of Christ, “Reproductive Health and Justice: Why The UCC Is a Leader in This Area” (May 12, 2022 ), ucc.org
  208. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, “Abortion” churchofjesuschrist.org (accessed November 5, 2019)
  209. MJL, “Abortion and Judaism” myjewishlearning.com (accessed November 5, 2019)
  210. David Masci, “Where Major Religious Groups Stand on Abortion” (June 21, 2016), pewresearch.org
  211. Seventh-Day Adventist World Church Executive Committee, “145-19G Statement on the Biblical View of Unborn Life and Its Implications for Abortion” (October 16, 2019), adventist.org
  212. United Methodist Church, “What Is the United Methodist Position on Abortion?” umc.org (accessed November 5, 2019)
  213. Assemblies of God, “Sanctity of Human Life: Abortion and Reproductive Issues” (August 9–11, 2010), ag.org
  214. Pope Francis, “Apostolic Letter: Misericordia et misera of the Holy Father Francis at the Conclusion of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy” vatican.va (accessed November 5, 2019)
  215. Stanley S. Harakas, “The Stand of the Orthodox Church on Controversial Issues” (August 12, 1985), goarch.org
  216. Hinduism Today, “How Hindu Dharma Addresses 25 Controversial Medical Issues Frequently Encountered by Physicians” (January–March 2013), hinduismtoday
  217. Ayatollah Sayyid ‘Ali Khamene’i, “Abortions” al-islam.org (accessed April 4, 2018)
  218. Jehovah’s Witnesses, “What Does the Bible Say about Abortion?” jw.org (accessed November 5, 2019
  219. Southern Baptist Convention, “On Reaffirming the Full Dignity of Every Human Being” (2018), sbc.net
  220. Jonathan Evans and Manolo Corichi, “What Do Americans Consider Immoral?” (March 19, 2026), pewresearch.org
  221. Selena Simmons-Duffin, “Despite State Bans and Restrictions, the Number of Abortions in the U.S. Holds Steady” (March 24, 2026), npr.org
  222. Isaac Maddow-Zimet and Kimya Forouzan, “Full-Year 2025 Estimates Show Overall Stability in Abortion Incidence, Decreased Travel and Increased Telehealth Provision” (March 2026), guttmacher.org
  223. Pew Research Center, “Public Opinion on Abortion” (March 12, 2026), pewresearch,org
  224. Hannah Hartig, Andy Cerda and Asta Kallo, “Majority of Americans Say Medication Abortion Should Be Legal” (March 12, 2026), pewresearch.org
  225. Pam Belluck, “F.D.A. Approves Generic Abortion Pill as Opponents Push Trump for New Restrictions” (October 2, 2025), nytimes.com
  226. “What is Plan B?” planbonestep.com (accessed January 9, 2025)