LOUISVILLE, Ky. — It’s been two years since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The decision ended the constitutional right to an abortion and has led many states like Kentucky to limit and restrict access to abortions. Since the Dobbs decision, 14 states have banned abortions at all stages of pregnancy with limited exceptions, and six others have restrictions between six to 15 weeks.
Right now in Kentucky, a patient can only receive an abortion if it is to save the pregnant person’s life or to prevent serious risk to the pregnant person’s physical health. Kentucky Right To Life tells us they are celebrating the two-year milestone, but that there is still work to be done.
“Chapters around the state are involved in supporting local safe haven baby boxes. We are trying to get those as a safe place for a mother of a family to place a child when they are in crisis at fire houses. We have a scholarship called ‘Her Future,’ pregnant and parenting scholarship that goes alongside those moms that have advocated for life and made the decision so that education or her child’s life is ever a choice. She can have them both,” said Executive Director for Kentucky Right to Life Addia Wuchner.
During this year’s Kentucky legislative session, there were laws passed to ensure that all stages of pregnancy are qualifying life events for insurance coverage. Abortion is not considered a qualifying life event.
The legislature also passed bills that expanded telehealth service, created a Kentucky maternal psychiatric access program, and expanded health access nurturing development services.
The measures received bipartisan support after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ranked Kentucky second in the country for maternal mortality and said that over 90% of 2021 deaths were preventable.
And although abortion is illegal organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union say they are continuing to help people who are pregnant receive medical care and are advocating for legislation that could help families.
“Champion polices that are addressing maternal mortality issues. We’re very interested in securing paid leave. We are interested in securing access to childcare,” said Executive Director for ACLU Kentucky Amber Duke.
“The ACLU stands ready to represent a Kentuckian who is seeking an abortion to challenge the abortion bans that are currently in place and we ask that anyone who is interested in possibly bringing a case to call or text our attorneys,” she said.
The number is (617) 297-7012.
The ACLU says people seeking abortions can leave the state to receive treatment. Right now, Illinois is the only state that borders Kentucky where abortion is legal.
The University of Kentucky says 15% fewer med-school graduates applied for residencies in Kentucky this year. The Association of American Medical Schools attributes that to the abortion ban in the state. And for OB-GYN residencies, there was a 23% decline. The Planned Parenthood Alliance says this will impact Kentuckian’s health care.
“Providers usually stay in the communities they do their residences in. If we are not able to attract providers to do their residences in Kentucky — a state that already has a shortage in providers — 76 counties do not have a practicing OB-GYN already. We are going to increase that shortage that we cannot afford to increase upon,” said Kentucky State Director for Planned Parenthood Alliance Tamara Wieder.
Planned Parenthood locations in Kentucky are open. Services offered include vaccines, birth control and STD testing.