Tennessee And Nigeria Face Reckoning Over Abortion Laws

Lawsuits, stigma, and public health concerns drive renewed debate over abortion access and maternal safety in Tennessee and Nigeria.

24 October 2025

On October 23, 2025, two very different corners of the world found themselves at the center of the ongoing debate over abortion laws and the lives of women: Tennessee, USA, and Lagos, Nigeria. While their legal frameworks and cultural backdrops differ dramatically, both regions are grappling with the consequences of restrictive abortion policies, the confusion sown by vague legal exceptions, and the mounting toll on women’s health.

In Tennessee, a three-judge panel delivered a significant blow to Governor Bill Lee’s administration by ruling against the state’s attempt to end a lawsuit challenging the state’s near-total abortion ban. According to Tennessee Lookout, the lawsuit was initially brought in 2023 by a group of Tennessee OB-GYNs and women who had suffered serious medical complications during their pregnancies. The American Medical Association later joined the case, underscoring the gravity of the issues at stake for both patients and medical professionals.

Continued: https://evrimagaci.org/gpt/tennessee-and-nigeria-face-reckoning-over-abortion-laws-512744

In states that ban abortion, social safety net programs often fail families

By LAURA UNGAR and KIMBERLEE KRUESI
December 27, 2024

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Taylor Cagnacci moved from California to Tennessee with hopes of starting a new chapter in a state that touts a low cost of living and natural beauty. But she’s infuriated by Tennessee’s meager social services, which leave her and many other moms struggling in a state where abortion is banned with limited exceptions.

“I was going to have my child no matter what, but for other women, that’s kind of a crappy situation that they put you in,” said Cagnacci, a 29-year-old Kingsport mom who relies on Medicaid and a federally funded nutrition program. “You have to have your child. But where’s the assistance afterward?”

Continued: https://apnews.com/article/abortion-tennessee-medicaid-wic-2a67e38c0d523a008ec8e1b173b67297

Fear, confusion, anxiety, stress: Tennessee doctors describe care under abortion ban

They worry about what consequences they may face for providing essential care.

By Nadine El-Bawab
September 16, 2022

Weeks after a trigger ban criminalizing providing abortions went into effect in Tennessee, doctors told ABC News the ban created fear, confusion, anxiety and stress among patients and providers.

Physicians from different parts of the state are pushing back against claims made by lawmakers, including Gov. Bill Lee, who say the ban allows exceptions for pregnancies that threaten a woman's life or could cause serious bodily injury, saying this is not the case. Under the law, performing or attempting to perform an abortion is a Class C felony.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/fear-confusion-anxiety-stress-tennessee-doctors-describe-care/story?id=89878848

GOP state lawmakers approve ‘heartbeat’ abortion bans

GOP state lawmakers approve 'heartbeat' abortion bans

Sanya Mansoor and Ben Nadler, The Associated Press
Published Thursday, March 7, 2019

ATLANTA -- Georgia and Tennessee joined a string of states moving to enact tough abortion restrictions when Republican House lawmakers passed bans on most abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected.

During a tense debate in Atlanta on Thursday, several Democratic lawmakers opposed to the bill turned their backs to its author, Republican Rep. Ed Setzler. Earlier in the day, some Democratic lawmakers brought in wire coat hangers in reference to unsafe home abortions.

Continued: https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/gop-state-lawmakers-approve-heartbeat-abortion-bans-1.4325829