What statutes govern reproductive law in the United States?

Reproductive law is largely governed by statutes at the federal level in the United States. The most important statutes that govern reproductive law are the Roe v. Wade decision of 1973, the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE) of 1994, the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003, and the Affordable Care Act of 2010. Roe v. Wade was a decisive Supreme Court case which struck down state laws that outlawed or heavily regulated abortion. It gave women a constitutional right to end their pregnancies and expanded the privacy rights of individuals. The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE) of 1994 expanded on Roe v. Wade by creating a federal law that prohibits the use of physical force, threat of force or obstruction to prevent the person or persons from obtaining or providing reproductive health services from a clinic. The Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 made it illegal for doctors to perform a certain type of late-term abortion method called "partial-birth abortion." This act was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2007 as being unconstitutional. Finally, the Affordable Care Act of 2010 ensures that all Americans who qualify for health insurance have access to coverage for certain reproductive health services such as contraception, annual well-woman visits, screening for sexually transmitted diseases, and breastfeeding support, counseling, and equipment. This was a huge victory for women’s rights and reproductive justice advocates. These are just a few of the federal statutes which govern reproductive law in the United States. As birth control technology advances, federal and state statutes are continuously updated to reflect current scientific and medical practices. Additionally, many states have their own laws which go further in regulating reproductive rights within their borders. Each state should be consulted to determine the specific statutes that govern reproductive law within that state.

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What statutes govern reproductive law in the United States?

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