Abortion providers across Arizona have halted all procedures while they try to determine if a law dating to pre-statehood days banning abortion means their doctors and nurses will face prison time.
Their decision came after Friday's U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade decision.
The court said abortion rights are not protected by the constitution. Planned Parenthood Arizona’s president and CEO Brittany Fonteno says the possibility of prosecutions was just too risky.
Republicans are split on whether the old law applies or whether a law signed by Republican Gov. Doug Ducey banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy takes precedence.
Meanwhile, Planned Parenthood Arizona in a statement calls the decision “egregious” and says it’ll “gravely impact pregnant people and their families in Arizona.”
Women in rural areas and tribal nations already face obstacles in receiving abortion care, including proximity to providers, lack of health care, and cultural and socio-economic factors.
Planned Parenthood says Black, Indigenous and other people of color will be impacted the most by the decision.