Appeals Court to continue blocking Arizona abortion law

Source: Arizona Republic

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled against an Arizona law that restricted the use of abortion-inducing medications, contradicting rulings on similar laws by other federal circuit courts and setting up a likely U.S Supreme Court battle.

Nearly half of all abortions in Arizona are performed using the medication, which is administered during the first nine weeks of pregnancy. Surgical abortions are used later in a pregnancy.

The Arizona Legislature in 2012 passed a law requiring abortion providers to follow the federal Food and Drug Administration requirements for the medication. The FDA requirements restrict the medication to women who are seven or fewer weeks into their pregnancy and requires three visits to a physician. Arizona abortion providers had been using an evidence-based regimen that allowed the medication to be taken up to nine weeks of pregnancy and required two visits to a physician.

The law went into effect April 1, but the court halted it two days later until it could consider its opinion.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/arizona/politics/2014/06/03/arizona-abortion-law-blocked-appeals-court/9917647/