News brief

Supreme Court to weigh medical emergency abortions. The Supreme Court is considering a case that will determine when doctors can provide abortions during medical emergencies in states with bans enacted after the high court’s sweeping decision overturning Roe v. Wade. The case comes from Idaho, which is one of 14 states that now ban abortion at all stages of pregnancy with limited exceptions. The Biden administration argues that federal health care law says hospitals must be allowed to terminate pregnancies in rare emergencies when a patient’s life or health is at serious risk.

Since June 2022, when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade – the landmark ruling that guaranteed a nationwide right to abortion – the issue has galvanized women and driven up election turnout. Now, in a presidential election year, the stakes are higher. And abortion has become a defining issue.