An Indiana judge on Thursday blocked the state’s abortion ban from being enforced, putting the new law on hold as abortion clinic operators argue that it violates the state constitution.

The patchwork nature of abortion laws across the country has made the procedure harder for pregnant people to get and for health care providers to give.

Democratic state legislative candidates say the only way to repeal Indiana's near-total abortion ban is by electing Democrats to the Statehouse.

In many ways, pregnant people, hospitals, and OB-GYNs will immediately experience the effects of Indiana's new abortion restrictions. The timeline for economic repercussions is less clear after the law goes into effect Sept. 15.

The states near-total abortion ban took effect at midnight Thursday. It outlaws most of the thousands of abortions that typically occur in the state each year.

Whole Woman's Health -- South Bend's only abortion clinic -- will stay open to provide abortion related care such as pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, contraception, counseling and follow-up care despite Indiana's near-total abortion ban.

Theres another legal challenge seeking to halt Indianas near-total abortion ban.

Abortion restrictions will likely affect Black women the most. Many are concerned about the impact on Black maternal mortality, and the risk of criminalization.

Many listeners want to know what public polling in Indiana says about abortion and whether lawmakers followed those results when crafting the states abortion ban.

Some Indiana lawmakers and health care professionals are continuing calls for better access to birth control, less than a month before the state’s near-total abortion ban takes effect.