Federalism, Science, and State Regulation of Reproduction

TL;DR

The end of federal abortion protections highlights how federalism affects reproductive regulation and the role of science in these debates.

Contribution

The paper explores how federalism reshapes the influence of scientific evidence in state-level reproductive regulation.

Findings

Scientific evidence is less central in determining which level of government regulates reproduction.

Federalism now plays a key role in shaping reproductive justice and research priorities.

The shift impacts health and social science research agendas.

Abstract

In the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision ending federal constitutional protection for abortion, interstate and federal-state conflicts are revealing the importance of federalism to reproductive justice. This shift has implications for health and social science research agendas because scientific evidence plays a less significant role in disputes over which government actor is empowered to regulate reproduction than it does in conflicts over reproductive rights.