Changes From Pre- to Post-Dobbs in National Attitudes Toward Self-Managed Abortion Legality, Support, and Punishment

Bibliographic Data

ID24228941
AuthorsM Antonia Biggs (0000-0002-3904-3177), Rosalyn Schroeder (0000-0002-0206-7781), Shelly Kaller (0000-0002-6648-7064), Daniel Grossman (0000-0002-6878-6201), Lauren J Ralph
Year2026
Publication date2026-10-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueWomen s Health Issues (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1049-3867 • E-ISSN: 1878-4321
PublisherElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.whi.2026.08.008
PMID42844110
OpenAlexW7220836712
LanguageEN
References cited37

OBJECTIVE: We examined changes from before to after the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision, in national views on whether abortion, including self-managed abortion (SMA) and self-managed medication abortion (SMMA), should be legal or punished (reported to the police or child protective services [CPS], or imposed a fine or jail sentence). METHODS: From December 2021 to January 2022 (pre-Dobbs) and June to July 2023 (post-Dobbs), we administered two nationally representative cross-sectional online surveys to a market research firm's panel members who were assigned female at birth and aged 15 to 49. Using weighted logistic, multinomial, and general linear regression models with year as the primary independent variable, we assessed changes from pre- to post-Dobbs in views about the legality of facility-based abortion (procedural and medication abortion) and SMA methods, and whether those using SMA methods should be reported to the police or CPS, be fined, or be incarcerated. RESULTS: A total of 6,929 (2021-22) and 3,533 (2023) participants completed our primary outcome measures pre- and post-Dobbs. A growing proportion disagreed that medication abortion from a clinic/doctor's office should be illegal (pre-Dobbs: 59.8%; 95% confidence interval (CI) [58.1%, 61.5%]; post-Dobbs: 63.1%; 95% CI [60.9%, 65.4%]), although disagreement that SMMA should be illegal remained similar (pre-Dobbs: 42.8%; 95% CI [41.1%, 44.5%]; post-Dobbs: 43.4%; 95% CI [41.1%, 45.7%]). Support for reporting SMMA to the police (29.1%-23.7%, p < .001) or CPS (29.2%-24.2%, p < .001) or having someone pay a fine (25.2%-20.9%, p < .001) or go to jail (19.1%-16.1%, p < .001) decreased. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest decreasing national support for making facility-based abortion illegal and for punishing people involved in SMA.

Abortion · abortion legality · abortion policy · Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization · Public opinion · self-managed abortion · International Human Rights and Reproductive Law · Judicial and Constitutional Studies · Reproductive Health and Contraception

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