Since the Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling that the US Constitution does not guarantee a right to abortion, state restrictions have put pregnant people at serious risk, leading to preventable deaths when abortion care is denied or delayed. Thirteen states now enforce complete abortion bans, while others impose strict limits on when a pregnancy can be terminated. Research from the Gender Equity Policy Institute shows that women in states with abortion bans are twice as likely to die from pregnancy-related causes compared to those in states with legal access, with women of color disproportionately affected.
Access to reproductive healthcare services has also been curtailed through financial cuts and limitations affecting Planned Parenthood, Medicaid, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Pregnant women and adolescents in detention under immigration enforcement face inadequate healthcare, with some experiencing miscarriages due to medical neglect. Proposed legislation in Tennessee even threatens women with the death penalty for having an abortion.
Anti-abortion groups are targeting medical abortion drugs, particularly mifepristone, despite its proven safety and widespread use in nearly 100 countries. Several states are challenging its use through federal lawsuits, further restricting access to essential reproductive healthcare.
International human rights law recognizes access to reproductive healthcare as integral to the rights to life, health, privacy, equality, and freedom from discrimination. Restrictive abortion laws create discriminatory barriers that undermine these rights. The United States continues to have the highest maternal mortality rate among high-income nations, with data indicating that 80 percent of maternal deaths are preventable. Ensuring access to safe and legal abortion remains a critical human rights issue.
