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Fast Facts
Restrictions on Low-Income Women's Access to Abortion
How do certain restrictions on access to abortion care disproportionately affect low-income women’s health? |
All women should have access to reproductive health care regardless of their economic status, but restrictions on public funding make abortion services an unavailable choice for many low-income women. Banning public funding for certain services limits reproductive health options for those who rely on the government for their health care, putting women's health in danger and inserting politicians into the doctor-patient relationship. |
CURRENT STATE LAWS33 states and the District of Columbia restrict low-income women’s access to abortion: AL, AR, CO, DE, DC, FL, GA, ID, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MI, MS, MO, NE, NV, NH, NC, ND, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI, WY.
17 states provide low-income women access to abortion: AK, AZ, CA, CT, HI, IL, MD, MA, MN, MT, NJ, NM, NY, OR, VT, WA, WV. |
CURRENT FEDERAL LAWSSeveral federal laws, most notably the Hyde amendment, bar access to abortion care for most low-income women who rely on the federal government for their health care, with exceptions only to preserve the woman's life or if the pregnancy results from rape or incest. Women affected by these bans include recipients of Medicaid, Medicare, the State Children's Health Insurance Program, Indian Health Service clients, and clients of the District of Columbia's public health care programs. |
2008 STATE LEGISLATION10 states considered 20 measures that would prohibit or severely restrict the use of public funds for abortion services: AL, AK, CO, MN, NJ, NY, RI, TN, VA, WV.
- Alaska and Colorado enacted two measures restricting low-income women’s access to abortion. In Alaska, however, these prohibitions have been deemed unenforceable by the Attorney General in light of state precedent.
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2008 FEDERAL LEGISLATIONMost of the federal funding bans on abortion services for low-income women described above are extended annually by Congress. |
| For a map of all states with Restrictions on Low-Income Women's Access to Abortion - click here. | |
