If the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade and paves the way for states to implement abortion bans, the U.S. would join only three countries — El Salvador, Nicaragua and Poland — that have rolled back abortion rights since 1994, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights.
The big picture: Nearly 50 countries have liberalized their abortion laws — though some only incrementally — over the last 25 years.
- The rollback of abortion rights has come in countries "where democracies have eroded," says Margaret Harpin, a legal adviser at the Center for Reproductive Rights, which advocates for abortion rights advocacy and tracks abortion laws worldwide.
- At the same time, "we've seen a considerable amount of change in recent years, [and] an overall global trend towards liberalization" of abortion laws, Harpin tells Axios.
Here's a look at current abortion laws worldwide, according to research from the Center for Reproductive Rights:
Abortion is banned altogether
About 91 million women of reproductive age live in 24 countries or territories that prohibit abortion under all circumstances....
- El Salvador has some of the strictest abortion laws in the world. At least 180 women have been prosecuted for abortion or aggravated homicide after having obstetric emergencies, such as a miscarriage or stillbirth. After public pressure, some of these women have been released in recent years, though many remain in prison serving decades-long sentences.
- Nicaragua implemented