The U.S. Supreme Court recently turned down a challenge to a restrictive Arkansas abortion law that ends the use of medication abortion in the state. The law would require physicians providing medication abortions–a series of two medications that safely terminate a pregnancy–to have a contract with a second doctor who has hospital admitting privileges. Though the state claims the law protects women’s safety, it effectively reduces the number of Arkansas abortion clinics from three to one and creates additional barriers for women to access care. This harmful law makes Arkansas the first state to effectively ban medication abortion.
Photo Credit: Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post