The battle for abortion access in the United States continues to intensify with the Supreme Court's newest announcement. The Court will consider whether to restrict the use of one of the most widely used abortion drugs, even in states where the procedure is universally granted. This comes as states like Arizona consider reinstating a near-total ban on abortion dating back to 1864, or uphold the 15-week ban that was put into action last year.
Two other state Supreme Courts, from New Mexico and Wyoming, are also preparing to analyze the issue as state laws have widespread impacts on many women following the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade.
A democrat running for office in the Tennessee House of Representatives opens up to shares a deeply personal experience of her own in relation to the issue at hand. The law in her state prevented her from receiving a life-saving abortion, even as carrying her baby to term put her at risk, forcing her to seek medical assistance outside of her resident state.
She found herself pregnant with her second child last year, and during a routine 19-weeks pregnant anatomy scan, she found that her baby had lethal fetal anomalies and was incompatible with life. Her physician declared that she could get an abortion but would have to go out-of-state due to Tennessee's ban.
She recounted a meeting with her state representative where he expressed callousness and lack of understanding about potential difficulties that could arise post a woman’s first childbirth, stunning her. She tried to humanize her situation by attempting to understand what his advice as a father would be if his daughter were in a similar predicament. His response, encouraging childbearing despite a threat to life, compelled her to declare that such representatives lack adequate compassion.
Recently, the Supreme Court's decision to revisit the legality of the widespread abortion drug Mifeprestone has caused shockwaves in the women's rights community. The drug, known for its use in terminating pregnancies up to 10 weeks, becomes more important in scenarios where a woman learns of her pregnancy after the time period has passed. Blocking access to this drug creates a barrier to women's autonomy over their health and bodies. Despite looming apprehensions, advocates hold out a semblance of hope that the justices will recognize the medication's importance and the significance of reproductive care in general.
