abortion

Considering the country’s divided Congress, Americans shouldn’t hold their breath for major health reform legislation this year. On the other hand, 2023 is shaping up to see some incredibly consequential health policy changes that could impact millions.

In 2022, Side Effects Public Media’s reporters and collaborators exposed health inequities and followed the top health stories of the year.

Several states’ abortion bans are caught up in the courts due to legal challenges. The ever-changing abortion landscape is a source of confusion while demand for services remains high.

The patchwork nature of abortion laws across the country has made the procedure harder for pregnant people to get — and for health care providers to give.

Abortion restrictions will likely affect Black women the most. Many are concerned about the impact on Black maternal mortality, and the risk of criminalization.

When an Indiana abortion provider was attacked by pundits and political leaders, the vitriol hit home for medical residents at Indiana’s largest teaching hospital. Many of these young doctors were certain they wanted to practice in Indiana after training. Lately, some have felt more ambivalent.

An Indiana OB-GYN, Dr. Caitlin Bernard, has been caught in a national political debate after discussing an abortion she provided to a 10-year-old who reported a rape in Ohio. Her employer, IU Health, said an investigation found Bernard was compliant with patient privacy laws.

A researcher who studies the long-term consequences of unwanted pregnancy on people’s lives expects abortion bans will cause the greatest hardship to people with the fewest resources.

Michigan officials and abortion rights activists have mobilized around a tier of strategies: in the courts, on the campaign trail and at the ballot box this November.

A decision from the U.S. Supreme Court this summer could remove federal protections for abortion across the U.S. Most of the Midwest — and about half of all states — are certain or likely to ban or severely restrict access to abortion if given the chance.