This assertion, however, comes against the backdrop of stringent anti-abortion legislation.
The Oklahoma Supreme Court emphasized its stance on a woman’s constitutional right to abortion to safeguard her life
The Oklahoma Supreme Court directed a lower court to maintain a temporary ban on three out of five anti-abortion bills from 2021, including requirements for physicians to be board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology, have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital, and mandate a pre-abortion ultrasound 72 hours in advance.
The case prompted gratitude from the Center for Reproductive Rights, which, along with Oklahoma abortion providers, initiated legal action. Rabia Muqaddam, Senior Staff Attorney, welcomed the court’s acknowledgment of the medical baselessness and potential harm of these laws. Despite this legal victory, the impact on Oklahomans’ access to essential abortion care remains a concern.
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond’s office is evaluating the decision’s implications
Spokesman Phil Bacharach clarified that these rulings do not alter Oklahoma’s existing abortion prohibition, emphasizing that the state’s abortion ban, signed into law by Governor Kevin Stitt in May 2022, remains in effect. This law, coupled with the U.S. Supreme Court’s erosion of constitutional protections, saw a drastic reduction in abortions in Oklahoma, dropping from 4,145 in 2021 to 898 in 2022. Notably, 66 cases in 2022 required abortion to avert maternal death. Abortion statistics for 2023 are pending release.