Last updated: July 27, 2025
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Abortions are a medical service that terminates a pregnancy; in other words, they remove an embryo or fetus from the womb.
For nearly 50 years, abortion access was protected on a federal level under Roe v. Wade. However, in 2022, the Supreme Court overturned this decision in the landmark case Dobbs v. Jackson, leaving it up to each state to determine abortion laws. While abortions are still legal in many states, others have either imposed strict gestational limits or banned the practice completely. This has left many women unable to receive the treatment they are seeking, and has also put medical workers in untenable circumstances where they could risk legal repercussions for providing abortion treatment in states where it is banned.
There are still ways for women to legally obtain abortions, even in states where bans are implemented.
Learn more about the abortion policies in your state
Women may choose to receive abortion care for a variety of reasons.