While anti-abortion rights activists have lobbied politicians to enforce trigger laws in some states, these advocates have not faced opposition in other places.
The exam room of a women’s health clinic, which provides abortions, in Jacksonville, Fla., is seen in April 2024.
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Most Americans surveyed did not know how pregnancies are dated or how long a trimester is – but this is especially true among some groups, like people who say they support six-week abortion bans.
Demonstrators protest outside the Supreme Court building shortly before the court heard arguments about mifepristone on March 26, 2024.
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EMTALA requires hospitals to provide stabilizing treatment to all patients – but Idaho is arguing that its abortion ban means it doesn’t have to allow the procedure, even if it is medically needed.
Pro-abortion rights demonstrators rally in Scottsdale, Ariz., on April 15, 2024.
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There are many outdated laws that states keep on the books, even if they aren’t used. If the Supreme Court overturns legal precedents on rights like same-sex and interracial marriage, that can change.
A protester marks the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision anniversary outside the Supreme Court building on June 23, 2023.
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While both Congress and the president have extensive legal powers, they cannot easily change the law to protect abortions under federal law.
Women who were denied abortions, despite serious pregnancy complications, appear outside the Texas Supreme Court in November 2023, following arguments in a lawsuit they brought against the state.
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