Dobbs: Navigating the New Quagmire and Its Impacts on Abortion and Reproductive Health Care

Abstract

On June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. By voting to uphold Mississippi's law banning most abortions after 15 weeks, the Court overturned Roe v. Wade, eliminating the federal standard protecting a woman's right to abortion and reversing nearly 50 years of legal precedent. The ruling returned regulation of abortion to the states, which are responding by implementing bans or protecting access to abortion. As political and legal conflicts escalate and individual horror stories emerge, the dangerous mirage presented by this misguided legal fix to a long-standing vexing issue will come into sharper relief. The Dobbs ruling is creating a new uncertain and treacherous landscape for women and health care professionals to navigate.

Keywords: health equity; health policy; maternal child health; patient–provider communication; reproductive health; women’s health.