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FACT BRIEF

Does Arizona have one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the US?

By Jordan Gerard
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YES

Arizona is among 13 states with the most restrictive abortion laws in the country, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive health research and policy organization. A near-total ban on abortion crafted during Arizona’s territorial days has been enforceable since Sept. 23, 2022. It criminalizes virtually all abortions, including those involving pregnancies resulting from rape or incest, except in cases where the mother’s life is in danger. Abortion providers who defy the law face up to five years in prison. The pre-statehood ban conflicts with another law recently enacted by the Arizona Legislature, which prohibits abortions after 15 weeks. Lawsuits seeking clarity over which should take precedence are ongoing. Nonetheless, limits on abortion in Arizona remain some of the strictest in the nation.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Guttmacher Institute An Overview of Abortion Laws
Guttmacher Institute Interactive Map: US Abortion Policies and Access After Roe
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting
The Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting is the state’s only independent, nonpartisan and collaborative nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide, data-driven investigative reporting. AZCIR's mission is to hold powerful people and institutions accountable by exposing injustice and systemic inequities through investigative journalism.
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.