That framework ended in June 2022 when the U.S. Supreme Court decided Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a case that originated from Mississippi. Mississippi’s “trigger law,” already on the books, then immediately went into effect, banning most abortions in the state.

As of now, elective abortion — meaning an abortion done for abortion mississippi reasons other than a medical emergency — is illegal in Mississippi. The state’s law makes it a felony for providers to perform or induce an abortion except in two circumstances: (1) to save the life of the pregnant woman or prevent a serious physical emergency, and (2) in cases of rape reported to law enforcement. There is no exception for fetal anomaly, incest (unless it also constitutes rape and is reported), or socio-economic reasons. The criminal penalties apply to the provider, not to the pregnant person.

Because elective abortion is banned, there are currently no clinics in Mississippi providing abortion care. People in Mississippi who seek abortion for reasons outside the narrow legal exceptions must travel to another state, typically to places such as Illinois, North Carolina, Florida (while still legal there), New Mexico, or other jurisdictions with legal access. Travel introduces added logistical, financial, and time burdens, which affect different populations unevenly.

Physicians must navigate strict reporting and documentation requirements when invoking the medical-emergency exception, and many healthcare systems have adopted conservative interpretations to avoid legal risk. This has raised ongoing debates in medical ethics and emergency-care practice about the threshold for intervention,