Anti-Abortion Lawmakers Seek To Redefine ‘Abortion’ To Exclude Medical Treatment
Stateline, April 13, 2026
Some anti-abortion state lawmakers are pushing to revise the definition of “abortion” so abortion bans don’t apply to cases in which the death of an “unborn child” is the result of medical care provided to the pregnant woman. South Dakota is the first state to enact such a law, and Missouri and Utah introduced a similar bill. Reproductive rights advocates and many OB-GYNs say the real purpose of the bills is to fortify abortion bans, and the laws are still too vague because they rely on the intentions of individual physicians.
As U.S. Birth Rate Falls, Trump Officials Downplay Contraception in Family Planning Program
CBS News, April 16, 2026
The number of babies born in the United States fell again last year. The Trump administration has said it wants to reverse this trend. President Trump proposed to reshape the federal government’s only dedicated family planning program: Title X. In early April, HHS invited nonprofit organizations to apply for Title X grants. The 67-page Notice of Funding Opportunity included only one mention of contraception – describing it as overprescribed, associated with negative side effects, and part of a broader “overreliance on pharmaceutical and surgical treatments.” The grant notification reshapes the program from its traditional public health intervention efforts to focus on fertility, family formation, and reproductive health conditions.
Federal Court Rules Oregon Law Requiring Insurance To Cover Abortion, Contraception Unconstitutional
Oregon Public Broadcasting, April 14, 2026
A federal judge in Oregon ruled Tuesday that a state law requiring insurance plans to cover abortions and contraception violates the Constitutional rights of Oregon Right to Life. The full scope of the ruling won’t be known until next week at the earliest, though the temporary ruling represents a win for the anti-abortion nonprofit. The law in question mandated that all health insurance companies “not impose on an enrollee a deductible, coinsurance, copayment or any other cost-sharing requirement” on contraceptives and abortions, as well as other health care such as screenings for sexually-transmitted infections.
Mail-Order Dominates U.S. Abortion Pill Dispensing
Reuters, April 13, 2026
U.S. pharmacies are largely filling prescriptions for the abortion pill mifepristone via mail-order in states permitting telehealth access to the medication, despite a 2023 FDA decision allowing retail pharmacies to dispense the drug … This followed a prior rule change permitting the drug to be shipped by mail without in-person dispensing requirements. Research from the University of Southern California showed that in the 27 states and the District of Columbia where telehealth abortion is allowed, fewer than 2% of those prescriptions were filled at physical retail pharmacies.
Nearly 1 in 4 People Seeking Abortions Out of State Chose Illinois. Here’s Why.
Stateline, April 15, 2026
Illinois is the destination for nearly 1 in 4 people traveling to another state for abortion care, according to a report from the Guttmacher Institute. The state’s geography explains part of its popularity; in five of the six border states, abortion is either banned or largely inaccessible. But Illinois also is among the states that have put in place new policies – along with millions of dollars – to welcome patients who aren’t their residents. Advocates and providers say other safe-haven states should replicate the investments.
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Note: The information contained in this publication reflects media coverage of women’s health issues and does not necessarily reflect the views of the National Partnership for Women & Families.
