Indiana Court Upholds Near-Total Abortion Ban With Limited Health Exception

The Indiana Court of Appeals has upheld the state's near-total abortion ban, affirming that the law aligns with the Indiana Constitution and limits abortions to rare circumstances involving extreme medical necessity, such as threats to the mother's life or serious health risks, rape, incest, or fatal fetal anomalies. The court emphasized that abortions are only permissible when no reasonable medical alternatives exist and that all abortions must be performed in hospitals or ambulatory surgical centers, not in free-standing clinics. The ruling was praised by Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita and pro-life groups, highlighting it as a victory for protecting life and upholding state values. The court declined to specify the exact medical conditions qualifying for an abortion, instead deferring to physicians' reasonable medical judgment to determine when an abortion is necessary. The decision also found that the hospital requirement does not constitute a significant burden on the constitutional right to an abortion in Indiana. This ruling maintains strict abortion restrictions enacted after the overturning of Roe v. Wade and has faced multiple legal challenges since its implementation.