Abortion After the Fall of Roe v. Wade

March 13, 2025Alicia M. Walker

A brief report prepared by Alicia M. Walker for the Council on Contemporary Families symposium Policies Affecting Families: What We Know, and What to Expect in the Second Trump Term

In June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturned Roe. V. Wade, removing federal protection for abortion rights and granting individual states the authority to regulate abortion access.

Which states have restricted abortion?

Total Bans: As of March 2025, 12 states have implemented near-total bans on abortion: Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia. [Note: This website has the most up to date information on state-level abortion laws in the United States]
Gestational Limits:
- 6-Week Bans: Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina prohibit abortions after approximately six weeks of pregnancy.
- Life-Threatening Situations: Some states with abortion bans do not allow any exceptions, even if the pregnant person faces imminent death. For example, states like Alabama and Arkansas have implemented near-total bans with no explicit exceptions for life-threatening situations. In states where exceptions do exist, vague or restrictive language often leads to confusion and delays in care. For instance, in Texas, restrictive laws have delayed miscarriage treatment, leading to fatalities.

In which states can doctors and pharmacists refuse to provide abortion care or birth control?

Refusal of Abortion Services: Forty-six states, including Texas, allow healthcare providers to refuse to furnish abortion services or related medications based on personal, moral, or religious objections. Policies vary widely; some states require referrals to other providers, while others do not.
Refusal of Contraception Services: Twelve states permit certain healthcare providers to decline offering services related to contraception.
Refusal of Sterilization Services: Eighteen states permit certain healthcare providers to refuse to perform sterilization services.
Pharmacist and Pharmacy Refusals: Seven states—Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Mississippi, and South Dakota—have laws or regulations that explicitly permit pharmacies or pharmacists to refuse to provide contraception based on religious or moral beliefs, without requiring safeguards like referrals or prescription transfers for patients.

Which states have added protections for abortion?

Constitutional Amendments: Eleven states have amended their constitutions to protect the right to abortion: California, Colorado, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington.
Legislative Actions: Eighteen states protect abortion rights up to viability or throughout pregnancy: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington.
Pharmacy Dispensation Requirements: Eight states—California, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, Washington, and Wisconsin—explicitly mandate that pharmacists or pharmacies dispense abortion-related medication to patients.

What has happened to women in states that restrict abortion?

Health Risks: Lack of emergency abortion access has endangered lives. For example, in Texas and Georgia, multiple women have died due to pregnancy complications after being denied care because of abortion bans.
Access Challenges: Women in restrictive states often travel to states with more lenient laws or seek medication abortions through mail-order services, facing logistical and financial hurdles.

Do laws restricting abortion actually reduce abortion rates?

Studies indicate that restrictive laws do not significantly reduce abortion rates but lead to unsafe procedures. For example, in the U.S. pre-Roe, illegal abortions were common and often dangerous; researchers estimate that during the 1950s and 1960s, around 1 million illegal abortions were performed in the U.S. each year, and 5,000-10,000 women died each year from illegal abortions. By comparison, in 2020 there were also slightly under 1 million abortions (despite a much larger population size than in the 1960s) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that in 2019 only four women died of abortion complications.
Since abortion was made illegal in many states in 2022, the number of abortions in the U.S has risen by about 10%.Two-thirds of abortions are now obtained through pills, compared to around half before the Dobbs decision. These pills have become the target of legal action, but last year the Supreme Court upheld their legality.

Who gets abortions?

The majority of individuals seeking abortions are in their 20s, and many are already mothers. Economic factors, timing, and partner-related issues are common reasons for abortion.

What happens to women after they get abortions?

Research shows that most women do not regret their decision to have an abortion. Many go on to have children later when they feel better prepared. Women denied abortions are more likely to experience economic hardship and health issues.

What can we expect during this new Trump administration?

Conclusion

The landscape of abortion access in the United States has undergone significant changes since the Dobbs decision. While some states have imposed strict restrictions, others have taken steps to protect reproductive rights. The ongoing legal and political developments continue to shape the realities of abortion access nationwide.Bottom of Form

About the Author

Alicia M. Walker is Associate Professor of Sociology at Missouri State University and the author of two previous books on infidelity, and a forthcoming book, Bound by BDSM: What Practitioners can teach Everyone about Building a Happier Life (Bloomsbury Fall 2025) coauthored with Arielle Kuperberg. Learn more about her on her website. Follow her on Twitter or Bluesky at @AliciaMWalker1, Facebook, and Instagram @aliciamwalkerphd