# 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.

## Key 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.

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12355467