The U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022, in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, ending the constitutional right to abortion. The 5-4 ruling declared Roe was "egregiously wrong," returning authority to individual states to regulate or ban the practice. This historic decision immediately triggered abortion bans in 13 states.
All five justices who voted to overturn Roe vs. Wade were appointed by Republican Presidents.
While adults can generally travel to other states for an abortion, both Idaho and Tennessee have laws that criminalize adults who "harbor or transport" a minor across state lines for the procedure without parental consent.
A May 2025 report found that in 13 states with strict abortion bans, maternal mortality rose by 5% between 2019 and 2023, making women in those states nearly twice as likely to die during pregnancy or shortly after childbirth compared to states with access.
Studies identified a 7% increase in infant mortality in certain months following the ruling, with an estimated 478 additional infant deaths, partly attributed to forced carriage of pregnancies with fatal abnormalities
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As of early 2026, several U.S. states have near-total abortion bans, typically with an exception only to save the pregnant person's life, rather than for rape or incest. States with the most restrictive bans, often lacking exceptions for rape or incest, include Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia
Abortion shield laws protect healthcare providers and patients from out-of-state investigations, subpoenas, and lawsuits related to legal abortion services. Key states with these laws include California, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.
Purpose: They safeguard providers offering services to patients from states where abortion is banned, including telehealth services.
Protection Type: They prohibit state law enforcement from cooperating with out-of-state investigations, prevent extradition of providers, and block insurance rate hikes stemming from out-of-state legal actions
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The next presidential election may determine the future of abortion rights. The next president might be able to appoint two new Supreme Court Justices as well as hundreds of federal judges who oversee laws.
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