American women have always had to fight for autonomy. From voting rights to birth control access, feminists have been working to protect women’s liberties for centuries. However, these advances are now at risk of reversal. On Friday, April 21, the US Supreme Court ruled on the fate of millions of livelihoods.
Mifepristone, an abortion pill, is the most common method of abortion in the US, and also serves as miscarriage care. According to Planned Parenthood, mifepristone blocks progesterone, “stopping the pregnancy from growing.” A medication abortion costs between $500 and $800 and can be obtained at a Planned Parenthood, private clinic, or through the mail. The FDA approved mifepristone in 2000, and it is now used for more than half of America’s abortions.
In November 2022, the Christian legal group Alliance Defending Freedom filed a lawsuit against the FDA, claiming that “the FDA exceeded its regulatory authority and ignored safety concerns when it approved mifepristone” ("The Guardian"). A Texas Federal judge, Matthew Kacsmaryk, sided with the plaintiff, referring to the medication as a drug made to “kill the unborn human.” The case moved to the fifth circuit Court of Appeals, which blocked the Texas ruling suspending distribution of mifepristone, but reinstated restrictions and banned mail delivery of the drug. The case moved up to the US Supreme Court, which preserved access to the abortion pill. According to "The Guardian," “the case now returns to the fifth circuit, which has scheduled oral arguments for 17 May, and will very likely make its way back to the Supreme Court.”
The abortion pill remains obtainable, but perhaps not for long. Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, reproductive rights have been, and will remain, under attack. While people with uteri may breathe a sigh of relief at the decision to protect access to Mifepristone, they must prepare for future battles to defend their freedoms.