Abortion in Ohio

Abortion in Ohio is only permitted in the first six weeks of pregnancy. After six weeks, abortion is prohibited, even in cases of rape or incest. In November 2023, a constitutional amendment was approved by a majority of voters that enshrined access to abortion in the Ohio Constitution. Despite the constitutional amendment, the Republican leaders of Ohio have defended the six-week abortion ban in courts.

On April 11, 2019, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed the Human Rights and Heartbeat Protection Act, which banned abortion in Ohio after any embryonic cardiac activity is detected. On June 24, 2022, after the Supreme Court of the United States overturned Roe v. Wade, judge Michael R. Barrett lifted a preliminary injunction that had blocked state officials from enforcing the law against certain abortion providers, allowing the Human Rights and Heartbeat Protection Act to take full effect. The law imposed felony criminal liability on anyone who performed, aided, or abetted an abortion after embryonic cardiac activity could be detected.

On September 15, 2022, a Hamilton County Common Pleas Court judge granted a 14-day restraining order against the state law prohibiting doctors from performing abortions after electrical "cardiac" activity is found, pausing a trigger law that took effect after federal abortion protections were overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court in June. On October 7, the judge granted a motion for preliminary injunction against the abortion bans. The decision meant abortions through 22 weeks gestation could continue, in keeping with state law in place before the ban.