reproductive health

A proposal by Republican state Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman would outlaw the use of restraints on pregnant women in the third trimester, during labor and for the first 48 hours postpartum “except in extraordinary circumstances.” Missouri banned the practice in state prisons in 2018.

A Kansas City judge temporarily lifted Missouri's abortion ban in December. However, she left licensing restrictions on the books, which means it's impossible for Planned Parenthood Great Plains to resume performing the procedure yet.

Advocates for abortion rights cheered when voters approved Amendment 3, which enshrined the right to an abortion in the Missouri Constitution. But nearly two months after the ballot initiative passed, the procedure still isn’t available in the state.

Because some of Missouri's licensing restrictions are still on the books, Planned Parenthood providers said they cannot perform abortions even after an order lifted the state's overall abortion ban.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is moving to take away Immanuel Birth Co.’s license because they allegedly violated state health regulations. That would eliminate one of the few non-hospital birthing facilities in eastern Kansas.

In August, Planned Parenthood opened a clinic in Pittsburgh, Kansas — just five miles from the Missouri border. But workers don't expect demand at the clinic to decline after Missouri voted to lift it's current abortion ban. Plus: Midwest builders are using wood in a new, climate-friendly way to construct high rises.

Dr. Betsy Wickstrom, a high-risk OB-GYN in Kansas City, is a Republican and a Christian but supported last month's abortion-rights amendment. She's concerned about what the future may hold with Missouri lawmakers threatening to overturn some of its protections.

The leader of Planned Parenthood Great Plains says the move is a ploy to prevent a Jackson County judge from potentially knocking down other abortion restrictions. Andrew Bailey says his office will continue to enforce laws requiring parental consent and outlawing coercion.

More than a dozen religious leaders had challenged Missouri's near-total abortion ban in 2023, on the grounds it contained explicitly religious language and violated the state constitution.

While passing Amendment 3 safeguards abortion rights in Missouri for now, health care providers say people are still worried about access to reproductive care under the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump.

Missouri became the first state to overturn a near-total abortion ban through a voter referendum in last week's election. Planned Parenthood Great Plains president Emily Wales says they're ready to resume abortion services by early December, although prolonged legal battles could push that date back.

If adopted by Missouri voters on Nov. 5, Amendment 3 would end the state's near-total abortion ban and would cement the right to reproductive freedom in the constitution. Opponents have criticized the ballot language for being too broad — and in some cases have spread misinformation about it.