Judge to rule on whether abortions can resume at Wyoming facility

A Wyoming judge is set to decide whether surgical abortions at Wellspring Health Access can resume after a five-week pause. State judge Thomas Campbell, who retired last year but was brought in for the case, heard arguments Tuesday from attorneys representing the abortion center. They argued he should grant a preliminary injunction halting enforcement of two new state abortion laws while a legal challenge against the laws proceeds, local news outlet Oil City News reported.

Wellspring stopped offering surgical abortions in late February after two new state laws took effect earlier this year. One law required abortion centers to get licensed as ambulatory surgical centers. Another law required ultrasounds and a 48-hour waiting period before a chemical abortion. Wellspring is challenging those laws in court.

What’s the status of abortion in Wyoming? The state passed a law in 2023 protecting all unborn children from abortion except in cases of rape, incest, or high risk to the mother’s life. It also passed a law banning abortion pills. Both laws are set for review April 16 by the Wyoming Supreme Court, which will consider whether they violate Wyoming’s constitution. A state district court judge previously struck down the laws, and the state appealed to the Wyoming Supreme Court, according to Wyoming Public Media.

How many abortions typically take place in Wyoming? Wyoming had roughly 700 abortions in 2023, according to the Guttmacher Institute. Chemical abortions accounted for about 95% of Wyoming abortions in 2023. During the same period, 60% of Wyoming abortions were provided through online-only centers, according to the institute.