Louisiana's abortion status, 2 years after Dobbs case

The big picture: Louisiana's law only allows abortions to save the life of the pregnant person, to "save the life or preserve the health" of the fetus, to remove an ectopic pregnancy or to remove the remains of a miscarriage.

• Lawmakers rejected bills that would have added exceptions for victims of rape and incest.

Zoom out: States like Florida and Illinois that border those with strict abortion limits saw big increases as they served as safe havens for patients post-Roe.

• Florida has since instated a new abortion law — one of the strictest in the nation — that has dramatically changed its role as a refuge for people seeking care in the South.
• People driving the longest distances to get an abortion are more likely to come from congressional districts with lower incomes and more diverse populations, according to data analysis by the left-leaning Center for American Progress.

Meanwhile, two abortion medications will become controlled substances in Louisiana on Oct. 1.

• Abortion using either of the two medications is already banned in the state, but they have other uses, like helping prevent ulcers and treating constipation and postpartum hemorrhages.
• Louisiana will be the first state to classify the medications as Schedule IV drugs.

The fine print: Schedule IV drugs are defined in Louisiana as those with low potential for abuse, an accepted medical use, and those that may lead to limited physical dependance.

• The classification requires providers to take additional steps to track who prescribes and receives the medications.

Go deeper:

• Charted: Abortion travel distances, two years after Dobbs