Have politicians recently succeeded in making abortion illegal in some cases?
Yes. Congress passed the Federal Abortion Ban, and in April 2007, the Supreme Court declared the ban constitutional, thereby banning a safe abortion method nationwide. The Court’s holding is contrary to its decision in 2000 that declared state bans on so-called “partial-birth” abortion unconstitutional. Those broadly worded bans could have outlawed safe, medically appropriate abortion care as early as the 12th week of pregnancy, with no exception to protect a woman’s health. But in 2007, the Court upheld the Federal Abortion Ban, which it found was slightly narrower than previous bans, but which still does not have an exception to protect a woman’s health. The Court’s decision gives the green light to states to enact further bans and other restrictions on abortion that disregard women’s health. All of these bans put politicians’ medical judgment above a doctor’s and would deny some women the medical care their doctors believe is safest for them.
