In many ways, the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade three years ago was just the beginning of the attack on women’s reproductive rights in America.
The 2022 ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that ended of the constitutional right to an abortion has since emboldened Republicans to go after other forms reproductive care, including IVF and contraception.
The results have been devastating for women and their families. Today, 19 states ban abortion or restrict the procedure, putting more than 60 million women and girls who need reproductive care into life-threatening circumstances.
Since the overturn of Roe v. Wade, mothers living in states that banned abortion were almost twice as likely to die during pregnancy, childbirth or soon after giving birth, compared to mothers living in states where the procedure was legal, according to a recent report by the Gender Equity Policy Institute.
Georgia mother Adriana Smith was among those women who paid the ultimate price in states with strict abortion bans. The 30-year-old nurse and mom to a young son was declared brain-dead in February, while 9-weeks pregnant at the time. Due to the state’s near-total abortion ban, the hospital kept her on life-support without her family’s consent until the baby was delivered prematurely via emergency C-section on June 13.
Concurrently, the Trump administration has targeted access to mifepristone — one of two pills needed for a medication abortion — in primary care settings, despite evidence that it’s safe to prescribe.
The president has also revoked a Biden administration requirement that hospitals provide emergency abortions to women whose health is in peril, including in states where abortion is restricted or banned.
Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers in more than half of the states where voters passed constitutional amendments to protect or expand reproductive rights challenged the will of their voters with new legislation that would dismantle abortion access, or even criminalize the procedure.
While the battle for women’s health reaches a crescendo, popular support for reproductive freedom remains unwavering, even in conservative strongholds.
Jessica Mackler, the president of EMILYs List — a national group that backs Democratic women who support abortion rights — lays out what’s at stake for women and what can be done to fight back.
Below is the conversation, which has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Know Your Value: On the third anniversary of the overturn of Roe v. Wade, how would you describe the state of play when it comes to women in America and reproductive rights?
Mackler: The state of reproductive care in this country is a full-blown crisis. Because of cruel Republican abortion bans, tens of millions of women have no say in decisions about their bodies, lives and futures. Anti-choice lawmakers have forced doctors to deny women stabilizing care amid dire medical emergencies, and it’s costing lives.
Still, Republicans are showing us that they aren’t satisfied with overturning Roe v. Wade; they won’t stop until they’ve banned abortion entirely. Just this month, they snuck provisions into the budget bill that would restrict abortion even in blue states that protect it.
On the 51st anniversary of Roe v Wade, here’s what women have lost — and gained
They are actively using the federal agencies at Donald Trump’s disposal to enact a backdoor, national ban on abortion. And in states where abortion is legal, Republicans are trying to ban reproductive health care completely, even after a majority of voters passed ballot initiatives to protect it.
For example, in Ohio a bill to ban abortion, IVF and forms of contraception — while criminalizing women who have abortions with homicide charges — was introduced last week.
No form of reproductive healthcare in this country is safe. Republicans are laying the groundwork across the country to pass bans on both birth control and IVF. If we’re going to reverse course, to restore and protect reproductive rights in America, we need to vote these Republicans out of their positions of power — plain and simple.
Know Your Value: What have been some of the unexpected repercussions for women since the Dobbs decision took effect?
Mackler: The fall-out from the Dobbs decision is as far-reaching as it is devastating. State abortion bans have skyrocketed rates of both maternal deaths and infant deaths. Women in states with abortion bans are nearly twice as likely to die during pregnancy or directly after giving birth.
Not being able to get an abortion also has long-term consequences. State bans directly impose economic hardship on women and families. They decrease the likelihood that women are able to work or finish school. They also increase the chances that families will live in poverty.
There are tens of millions of women in states with abortion bans being forced to live through these horrifying consequences. In the years to come, without restoring the protections of Roe v. Wade, we will find out even more extensive ramifications of what happens when Republicans take away our basic health care.
Know Your Value: You’ve opened up about your own abortion story. How does your personal experience shape the work you do today?
Mackler: I told my abortion story publicly for the first time last year on the Dobbs anniversary — because the care I needed then was no different than the care so many other women need today. Except I didn’t have to flee hundreds of miles from home to get an abortion, or fight for basic medical care during one of my most vulnerable moments. My doctors weren’t forced to withhold care from me until my life was on the line. Thanks to Republicans’ cruelty, women across America today can’t say the same. Too many women — like Josseli Barnica in Texas, Amber Thurman in Georgia, and others across the country — have already lost their lives at the hands of Republican abortion bans. Tragic, senseless and preventable deaths. And the sobering truth is that this will continue as long as Republicans have power. The imperative to do what we do at EMILYs List — electing Democratic pro-choice women at all levels of the ballot — has never been more consequential. A future with abortion access intact relies on having these women, who know exactly what’s at stake and who will fight to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade, in our government. Know Your Value: Tell us about “Mission Majority.” How will it work and what will be the biggest challenge? Mackler: Republicans have the slimmest U.S. House majority in history — and we have an opportunity to take back power in 2026. Mission Majority is our initiative to do just that by ousting extreme, anti-choice Republicans from their seats and replacing them with Democratic pro-choice women. We’ve put 46 House Republicans “On Notice” as our top targets to defeat this cycle, because they’ve put their constituents’ health care, lives and rights at risk on their crusade to eliminate abortion and please billionaires. Flipping the seats of incumbent lawmakers can be tough. They hold inherent advantages in name recognition, fundraising and access to other resources. But EMILYs List has helped women flip some of the most competitive seats up and down the ballot and across the map. And our team is already knee-deep recruiting and supporting Democratic women candidates who are best-positioned to flip these seats and send those Republicans into early retirement. Know Your Value: What, if anything, gives you hope when it comes to reproductive rights in America? Mackler: Two things. First, women and abortion-rights supporters across the country. I’ve seen firsthand how hard they are willing to fight to restore these rights — and though anti-abortion Republicans continue to dig in their heels — women haven’t wavered in their efforts to demand accountability, turn out voters, and reinstate the protections we’ve lost. The second is our Democratic pro-choice women leaders. In office, these women are holding the line and refusing to back down against Republican attempts to further erode access. And there are countless others stepping into the fight. Since Dobbs, women have been compelled to run for office, putting their name on the ballot, speaking out about their own reproductive health care experiences, and leading the way to protect our rights. These women are at the center of how we take back power. Electing Democratic pro-choice lawmakers is the most effective way to put a stop to the senseless cruelty of abortion bans and regain the rights Republicans have taken away.
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