Undue Burden Life and Death Decisions in Post-Roe America

You describe the end of roe as a public health crisis and I very much agree that it is. And you also say it's one for which the country was profoundly unprepared.

And what was so striking to me was that for whatever reason, people in Washington who I spoke to didn't seem to be able to fully grapple with what that could mean.

I think about this in the short term and the long term. These are two points I tried to examine in the book.

The long term effect that I also think is really important is what this means for medical training. What we know is when you are in a state with an abortion ban, it is impossible to be trained in providing abortion.

I want people to really understand just how ubiquitous the impact of abortion bans can be.

Her book, Undue Burden, follows the stories of patients affected by abortion bans and was published earlier this year.

They used to say abortions after 20 weeks. Then they started saying abortions after 15. Sometimes they say abortions after 12.

And they highlight this amendment, the Equal Protection Amendment, and they say that they recognize that it protects the right to life, liberty, and due process.

And they say it's not only state-based, it's national. And it could be used to eventually ban abortion nationwide.

And so I heard a surprising amount of enthusiasm from some abortion opponents who pointed to this 14th Amendment phrasing and said this is the most important thing.

Shafali, you talked to countless people who are trying to access abortion care just before and then after the Dobbs decision for your book, "Undo Burden", which is out in May. Explain how Dobbs has upended healthcare access, not only in states with abortion restrictions, but even in states that have expanded abortion rights.