Oklahoma Supreme Court Expands Right to Abortion, Federal Judge to Decide Fate of FDA-Approved Abortion Pill Across the Country

A federal judge is expected to decide soon whether the FDA-approved abortion pill should be blocked across the country. On Tuesday, the Oklahoma Supreme Court overturned a portion of the state’s near-total ban on abortion, ruling that women have the right to an abortion when pregnancy risks their health, not just in a medical emergency.

The court ruled that a woman has the right under the state Constitution to receive an abortion to preserve her life if her doctor determines that continuing the pregnancy would endanger it due to a condition she has or is likely to develop during the pregnancy. This ruling expands the right to an abortion beyond the previously accepted medical emergency cases.

The court, however, declined to rule on whether the state Constitution grants the right to an abortion for other reasons. The ruling is expected to be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, and the federal judge will decide if the FDA-approved abortion pill should be blocked across the country pending the outcome of the appeal.

The ruling is a major victory for abortion rights advocates in Oklahoma, who have long argued that the state’s near-total ban on abortion was unconstitutional. The ruling is also likely to have implications for other states with similar abortion restrictions.

The ruling is expected to be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, and the federal judge’s decision on the FDA-approved abortion pill will be closely watched. The outcome of the appeal could have far-reaching implications for abortion rights in the United States.