Key facts
- Jackson County Circuit Judge Jerri Zhang ruled that several Missouri laws restricting abortion violate a 2024 constitutional amendment.
- The ruling permits Planned Parenthood to begin prescribing abortion pills in Missouri, a service halted since 2018.
- The judge overturned provisions including a 72-hour waiting period and the requirement for initial abortion pill doses to be taken in a doctor's presence.
- A requirement for in-person confirmation of gestational age and ruling out ectopic pregnancy was upheld.
- Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway stated her intention to appeal the decision.
A Missouri judge has struck down several state laws restricting abortion, ruling they violate a constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2024. Jackson County Circuit Judge Jerri Zhang's decision means Planned Parenthood affiliates in the state can resume prescribing abortion pills, a service they have not offered since 2018.
The ruling came after a 10-day trial where the judge considered whether 40 different state laws conflicted with the amendment. Judge Zhang sided with abortion rights groups in most cases, overturning provisions such as a 72-hour waiting period between doctor visits and the requirement that the first dose of abortion pills be taken in the presence of a doctor. However, a requirement for an in-person visit to confirm gestational age and rule out ectopic pregnancy was upheld.
Missouri was the first state to enact a near-total abortion ban following the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade. The 2024 amendment allows abortion until fetal viability. Following the judge's ruling, Planned Parenthood stated it would begin offering medication abortion appointments, with its president and CEO, Emily Wales, emphasizing the return of evidence-based care to the state.
Surveys from the Guttmacher Institute and the Society of Family Planning estimated that in the latter half of 2025, around 300 abortions per month were provided to Missouri women by out-of-state providers. In 2024, approximately 12,000 Missouri women traveled to neighboring states for abortions.
Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has announced her intention to appeal the ruling, calling it a 'Pandora's box.' Additionally, voters will consider another ballot measure in November that aims to reverse the 2024 amendment.