from States Newsroom
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By Elisha Brown |
North Dakota voters mark their ballots during the first day of early voting at the Bismarck Event Center on Oct. 22, 2026. Some supporters of Measure 1 see it as a way to thwart a future potential abortion-rights initiative in the state. (Photo by Jack Dura/North Dakota Monitor)
Abortion opponents in North Dakota are encouraging voters to approve a ballot measure that would require proposed constitutional amendments to receive 60% of votes instead of a simple majority.
North Dakota Right to Life and Catholic bishops are behind campaigns urging voters to mark yes on Measure 1 during the midterms, North Dakota Monitor reports.
Republican state Sen. Janne Myrdal said she expects the Fairness Project or other out-of-state groups to fund an abortion-rights initiative in 2028. North Dakota bans most abortions with few exceptions.
“That is their stated intention, and that’s been their intention all along, is from what we’re seeing now,” said Myrdal.
Prairie Action North Dakota, a social justice advocacy organization, opposes Measure 1. Amy Jacobson, the group’s executive director, said Myrdral and others are using a potential abortion-rights initiative as a way to motivate their base and make it harder to change the state constitution.
“My only response would be that there’s nothing to indicate that that is happening, and that it is clearly an intentional tactic that they’re using to strike fear into their voters, and they’re not being honest,” Jacobson said.
THE BEAT
A growing number of Hoosier women are seeking midwives to deliver their babies at home. Supporters say home births are a safe option for low-risk pregnancies and when attended to by a certified direct-entry midwife, but unlicensed midwives continue to work underground. (Getty Images)
INDIANA
More Hoosier women are delivering at home despite risks: Pregnant women in Indiana are turning to home births attended by midwives to give birth instead of hospitals. But unlicensed midwives are still working underground, and some face lax punishment. One woman who views midwifery as her ministry oversaw six stillbirths and a maternal death; she prayed over the woman’s decaying body for four days before she called the police. — Indiana Capital Chronicle
SOUTH CAROLINA
South Carolina files more criminal charges involving pregnancy than any other state, report finds: At least 381 South Carolinians faced pregnancy-related charges in the past three years, according to a report released last week. Almost all of the cases involved allegations of substance use, researchers at the nonprofit Pregnancy Justice found. A 1997 state Supreme Court decision ruled that fetuses are people, paving the way for prosecutors to charge pregnant women with child abuse crimes. — SC Daily Gazette
OREGON
Insurers could revisit denied doula coverage claims after Oregon agency admits error: A new Oregon law required health insurance coverage of doula care for up to $3,760 annually. But some residents were denied coverage earlier this year due to errors from state regulators who misinterpreted legislation. Another law delays coverage of certain lactation consultant services until 2028. — Oregon Capital Chronicle
MISSISSIPPI
Mississippi state health officer shares plan to tackle infant mortality crisis: In 2024, Mississippi’s infant mortality rate was 9.7 deaths for every 1,000 births, leading health officials to declare a public health emergency. Since then, State Health Officer Dr. Daniel Edney said his department has launched or expanded several initiatives, including a safe sleep campaign that gives new parents cribs and the creation of a fetal-infant mortality review committee. The state is also set to offer perinatal care at select county clinics. — Mississippi Today
THE PULSE
FL: Florida attorney general pushes for fetal personhood and an end to all abortions in state | CBS News Miami
TX: Texas’ first post-Roe report on maternal mortality will come after the midterms | The Washington Sun
GA: New arrivals in the ER? Georgia gears up to solve rural maternal health crisis. | KFF Health News
US: More than half of women who have given birth say they had related mental health challenges | Gallup
ABORTION ACCESS IN THE U.S.
Track state-level developments on reproductive rights anytime at News From The States. Send tips and thoughts to ✉️ [email protected], and follow her on Bluesky @elishabrown.
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