Mental Health Matters: A Look At Abortion Law Post-Dobbs
Lauren B Solberg1, Kristin Telford1
1University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA.
American Journal of Law & Medicine
|February 12, 2024
Summary
The Supreme Court
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Law
- Psychiatry
Background:
- The U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, returning abortion regulation to individual states.
- State abortion laws vary, with some banning procedures outright or imposing gestational limits.
- Many state laws lack specific exceptions for mental health risks associated with pregnancy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the impact of pregnancy on mental health.
- To examine the role of mental health exceptions in state abortion statutes.
- To advocate for the inclusion of mental health exceptions in abortion laws.
Main Methods:
- Review of state abortion statutes.
- Analysis of the impact of pregnancy on mental health conditions.
- Examination of available resources for pregnant individuals with mental health concerns.
Main Results:
- Pregnancy can exacerbate or trigger mental health conditions.
- Current state laws often exclude mental health as a valid reason for abortion.
- This exclusion forces individuals to continue pregnancies despite severe mental health risks.
Conclusions:
- Absence of mental health exceptions in abortion laws negatively impacts pregnant individuals.
- Mental health conditions during pregnancy require accessible and comprehensive care options.
- State laws should be updated to include mental health exceptions for abortion access.
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