Abortions increased post Roe as a clash over mail-order pills highlights cross-state legal fights

Louisiana indicted a California doctor for allegedly mailing abortion pills into the state, and California's governor refused the extradition request citing a state shield law; the case is at an impasse and its next procedural outcome is undetermined at this time.

Monthly abortion numbers rose after the Supreme Court's 2022 Dobbs decision, driven in part by wider use of abortion pills and telemedicine. States with near-total bans have responded by pursuing out-of-state providers and other legal actions. This month Louisiana announced an indictment of a California physician for allegedly mailing abortion medications into the state. California's governor rejected an extradition request, invoking a state shield law and creating a legal standoff. Key facts: - Louisiana Attorney General announced a felony indictment alleging a California doctor mailed abortion-inducing drugs into Louisiana. - California's governor refused the extradition request, citing the state's shield law and creating an impasse. - Researchers and public-health groups report national abortion totals rose after Dobbs, with pill-based care and telehealth playing a major role. - Legal experts say the case is unlikely to resolve quickly and could ultimately involve higher courts, but the next procedural outcome is undetermined at this time. Summary: The refusal to extradite has created a legal standoff that underscores how mail-order abortion pills and telemedicine have affected access since Dobbs. Legal observers say the matter is unlikely to be resolved quickly and the next procedural outcome is undetermined at this time.