It’s clear that the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization will make it harder for women to get an abortion across much of the United States. But there are other kinds of laws – not related to abortion – that already control the decisions women make during pregnancy.
In this scenario, a state concludes a pregnant woman’s conduct, mostly related to substance use, might harm the fetus they are carrying. These women are then forced into mandatory treatment or jail. Most of the women affected by these laws are poor, and disproportionately Black or Latina.
