Women With High-Risk Pregnancies Have Limited Options Under Abortion Bans
ProPublica, January 20, 2026
ProPublica’s reporting on the deaths of pregnant women living in states with abortion bans found that abortion bans generally do not include exceptions that cover high-risk pregnancies based on underlying health issues, and if they do, doctors do not use them. Instead, the exceptions are for the “life of the mother,” which often means doctors will not act without strong evidence that their patients are very likely to die. Each year, hundreds of thousands of women experience pregnancy with chronic conditions that may result in long-term complications and, in some cases, death. The preventable deaths of Tierra Walker and Ciji Graham illustrate how this narrow exception has life-or-death stakes.
U.S. Abortion Bans Have Increased Pregnant Women’s Risk of Dying
Newsweek, January 21, 2026
A recent study concluded that between 2018 and 2021, state abortion bans forced pregnant people to take on substantially increased health risks associated with continued pregnancy. The researchers found that because of abortion bans, women with high‑risk pregnancies are now more likely to carry them to term, placing them at greater risk of dying in or after labor. Thirteen states currently enforce total abortion bans. Twenty‑eight states have gestation bans, including seven that ban abortion at or before 18 weeks’ gestation and 21 that ban the procedure at some point after 18 weeks.
Trials Show Successful Ballot Initiatives Are Only the Beginning of Restoring Abortion Access
Rewire News Group, January 20, 2026
The outcomes in Arizona and Missouri trials this week can determine what the future will look like when voters overturn state abortion bans through ballot initiatives. Arizona and Missouri voters struck down their states’ near-total abortion bans in November 2024. However, state constitution amendments do not automatically overturn laws that conflict, like waiting periods, in-person physician requirements, and mandatory vaginal exams. Amy Myrick, a senior counsel at the Center for Reproductive Rights, stated, “Ballot measures are not the silver bullet. We need a lot of follow-up to make these rights real. And the attempts to keep these restrictions after the voters have spoken are blatantly anti-democratic, but they’re still happening.”
Abortion Clinics Brace for ‘New Chapter of Violence’ as Extremist Group Plans HHS Protest
HuffPost, January 21, 2026
The National Abortion Federation (NAF) sent a regional security alert to its abortion clinics in Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland ahead of an extremist group’s, Rescue Resurrection, plans to protest outside the Health and Human Services building on Thursday. Rescue Resurrection recently blocked staff and patients from entering a Planned Parenthood health clinic in Memphis, Tennessee. NAF CEO Brittany Fonteno said NAF’s security team identified at least one planned blockade of a D.C. abortion clinic by anti-choice protesters this week. With the anniversary of Roe and the March for Life happening near the same time, harassment and violence are commonplace for clinic providers, staff, and patients.”
Illinois Faces Federal Defunding for State Law Requiring Abortion Referrals
The Washington Post, January 21, 2026
The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights (OCR) sent a notice threatening to strip Illinois of federal health dollars over a state law requiring medical providers to refer patients for abortion services. Illinois receives about $20 billion in federal Medicaid dollars annually. The letter claims Illinois’s law violates federal conscience protections, and the state has 30 days to comply before HHS considers withholding funding. The OCR Director, Paula Stannard, said the Trump administration is “reinvigorating” enforcement of federal religious freedom protections for health care providers.
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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.
