In this moment, the future of our rights, our bodily autonomy, our freedom feels uncertain. What we do next will make a difference for decades to come.
Protecting people’s access to abortion, and their ability to make decisions for their own and their families’ well-being, is more important than ever during this unprecedented pandemic, when so many face enormous uncertainty. But COVID-19 has exacerbated existing inequities in and barriers to abortion access, and some politicians have attempted to exploit the pandemic to close abortion clinics and prevent pregnant people from making decisions about their bodies and futures. This issue brief provides an overview of ways that COVID-19 and the accompanying economic instability impact abortion care access. This brief also offers solutions for state and federal policymakers to protect and expand access to abortion care during the pandemic and recession.