Supreme Court upholds Arkansas abortion law -- for now

Ruling is a win for life.

The United States Supreme Court has refused to hear a case that challenges a pro-life law in Arkansas. The refusal is a win for the pro-life movement.

LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) - The United States Supreme Court has refused a challenge to an Arkansas state law that protects mothers. The law requires that abortion providers offering chemical abortions also have access to doctors and facilities that can treat complications. 

Opponents of the law say it will force two of the state's three abortion clinics to close. Arkansas is one of the most pro-life states in the nation. 

The Supreme Court issued no comment on their refusal to hear the case as they allowed the previous ruling to stand. The previous ruling found no reason to overturn the law. 

A large number of abortions are carried out by chemical means, early in the pregnancy. The abortion often requires that the mother take at least two pills. The last dose is usually taken at home, which is a risk factor. While abortion providers insist the drugs are safe, there is always the possibility of a complication. Deaths and complications from abortions are not usually reported, or are reported as being caused by something else. 

The law ensures that a person taking these pills can contact their provider and gain immediate admission to a hospital and a doctor in the event of an emergency.  

While the law effectively protects both mothers and children in the womb, the Supreme Court could still make a decision that overturns it. Previously the Supreme Court overturned a similar law in Texas because the safety measures also reduced the number of abortion clinics in the state from 40 to eight. The Court ruled that this placed an undue burden on women seeking an abortion. 

The Arkansas law effectively reduces the number of clinics in the state from three to one.