‘In Focus with KFF’: What Happens if Roe v. Wade is Overturned?

The Supreme Court on Dec. 1 heard an abortion case that could result in Roe v. Wade being overturned. The case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, involves a Mississippi law banning most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, much earlier than the fetal viability standard established by the 1973 decision in Roe.

In this video, KFF Associate Director for Women’s Health Policy Laurie Sobel describes how a ruling overturning Roe could affect abortion access in the United States. Many states have laws intended to immediately ban abortion after such a ruling, while others have laws protecting the right to an abortion. For many people living in states where abortion is banned, it would be difficult for them to obtain abortion care out of state.

This is the first video in our new series “In Focus with KFF,” featuring insights from our experts on major health care issues in the news.