Overview

• Following the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade, several states have enacted abortion bans that have led to confusion and lawsuits due to their vague wording and unclear exceptions.
• Texas woman Kate Cox was denied an abortion by the state's Supreme Court, despite her fetus being diagnosed with a severe anomaly that threatened her health and future fertility.
• In Tennessee, Nicole Blackmon was denied an abortion despite her baby's organs growing outside its stomach, indicating it would not survive. She delivered a stillborn baby as she could not afford to travel out of state for an abortion.
• State lawmakers face growing pressure to clarify these laws, with some states considering adding or clarifying abortion ban exceptions and definitions in 2024.
• Advocates on both sides anticipate more legislatures will consider adding or clarifying abortion ban exceptions and definitions in 2024, though few such measures have been filed so far.