ANALYSIS.
Missouri Supreme Court temporarily bans abortions again
The ruling orders a rehearing and overturns lower court decisions that had allowed abortions to resume following the passage of Amendment 3 by referendum, which permits such procedures up to the point of fetal viability.
Anti-abortion protest in front of the Supreme Court.
The Missouri Supreme Court has once again blocked abortions in the state by ordering a review of a lower court’s decision that had suspended the state’s stricter abortion safety regulations. As a result, no abortions will be performed in Missouri for the time being, since no provider currently meets the legal requirements.
The High Court reversed Judge Jerri Zhang’s previous rulings from December 2024 and February 2025, which had allowed abortions to resume in Missouri. Those rulings followed the passage of Amendment 3 in the November 2024 referendum, which established a so-called “fundamental right to reproductive freedom,” including the right to abortion up to the point of fetal viability.
However, the Supreme Court found that Judge Zhang had applied the wrong legal standard, emphasizing that any challenge to a duly enacted state law must show a likelihood of success on the merits.
"This is not the end of the legal battle, but it is a critical victory"
Brian Westbrook, executive director of Coalition for Life told Life News following the Supreme Court's ruling, "this is a significant moment for women and children in Missouri. The lower court’s ruling not only threatened the preborn but also left abortion facilities functionally unregulated. Women deserve better than unlicensed facilities rushing to provide abortions under a constitutional cloud. Today’s decision is a step back toward safety, accountability, and a culture that values every human life.”
Westbrook cautioned that "this is not the end of the legal battle, but it is a critical victory for every pro-life Missourian. Coalition Life will continue to advocate for the most defenseless on the sidewalk and through our pregnancy center as we serve these women and preborn children most affected by this decision."
Missouri Senate advances a measure to eliminate Amendment 3
Amendment 3 leaves Missouri's previous legislation—which almost entirely banned abortion except in cases of grave physical risk to the mother—intact. However, the new language removes lawmakers' ability to limit abortion before fetal viability. In fact, it allows abortions even later in pregnancy if deemed necessary to protect the life or health—physical or mental—of the mother.
Congressmen introduced HJR 73, a proposed amendment to restore a broader ban on abortion. This new initiative would allow abortion only in cases of rape or incest during the first trimester, and in medical emergencies throughout pregnancy. It would also prohibit the use of public funds to finance abortions or gender transition hormone treatments for minors.
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