Abortions resume in Wyoming after judge blocks regulations

The only abortion center in Wyoming, Wellspring Health Access, began offering abortions again after a district judge on Monday suspended two laws regulating abortion. Wellspring previously stopped offering abortions in February after the laws took effect.

What did the laws require? One law said abortion centers must get licensed as ambulatory surgical centers. Another law required women to receive ultrasounds at least 48 hours before obtaining the drugs or substances for a chemical abortion.

What did the judge decide? Natrona County Judge Thomas Campbell imposed a temporary injunction on the laws, saying they were not necessary and did not advance a compelling government interest. He said the laws infringed on a clause of the state constitution that establishes the right of competent adults to make their own healthcare decisions.

Wellspring is part of a group challenging those laws at the state Supreme Court, which heard oral arguments for the case on April 16. Campbell’s injunction on the laws will remain in place until the high court rules sometime in the next few months.

How many abortions typically take place in Wyoming? Roughly 700 abortions occurred in the state in 2023, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a pro-abortion think tank. Most of those were chemical abortions provided through online-only centers.

Dig deeper: Read Leah Savas’ story on a question IVF debates often overlook.