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In the nearly two years since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, abortion access has been in an almost constant state of flux. State laws keep changing – with new bans taking effect in some places while new protections are enacted in others.
And there have been a slew of lawsuits and ballot measures that may motivate voters come November. Here are 6 facts about where things currently are with abortion and the election. In 14 states, there are total bans on abortion, with very limited exceptions in cases such as rape or to save the life or health of the mother.
A few more states – including Florida – have six-week bans, and often that's so early in a pregnancy most people don't yet know they're pregnant. A few more states have restrictions that limit abortion after 12, 15 or 22 weeks of pregnancy. In the states that ban or severely restrict abortion access, the number of abortions has dropped drastically.
But legal challenges and ballot initiatives mean the map could keep shifting. So far, voters will be weighing in on the right to an abortion in four states: Colorado, Florida, Maryland and South Dakota. Six more states are in the process of getting it on the ballot, including Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Arizona, Arkansas and Montana.
Idaho illustrates how abortion bans can affect a state's broader health care system. Doctors are leaving the state, and three maternity wards have closed since the abortion ban took effect there. "We lost 58 obstetricians .
