4 surprising things to know about abortion in America since Dobbs

Key Points:

• Four years after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, abortion access in the U.S. remains deeply divided, with a complex patchwork of state laws and evolving methods of obtaining abortion care, including telemedicine and mail delivery of abortion pills.
• Despite bans in over a dozen states, the national number of abortions has increased due to easier access in supportive states, shield laws protecting providers, and the rise of telemedicine abortion, which has also led to increased abortions in states with bans.
• Anti-abortion efforts have become more complex, with some politicians pushing for stricter regulations like reviving the Comstock Act and new laws allowing criminal charges for abortion, while ongoing legal battles target access to abortion pills such as mifepristone.
• Abortion rights advocates are pursuing expanded access, including over-the-counter abortion pills and training more providers, while medication abortion continues to grow as a safe, effective, and widely used method, described as "unstoppable" by advocates.
• Privacy around abortion has paradoxically increased post-Roe due to telemedicine, while stigma is challenged by people openly sharing their abortion experiences, empowering more individuals to speak out despite ongoing legal and social obstacles.