Reproductive Health

A few of the states with the most home births are in the Mountain West, and the region also includes two states that saw some of the country's largest increases from 2019 to 2020.

Most recent data shows that Wyoming women are getting less prenatal care and that maternal mortality is up.

The only clinic that provides abortion services in the state is still providing them. Dr. Giovannia Anthony who works at the clinic in Jackson said they are still getting calls for appointments. As of this publication, abortion is still legal. But that could change any day now.

A long time advocate for abortion rights in the state said she will be looking at a new strategy as Wyoming's abortion trigger law comes into play.

A new report shows the number of abortions in the U.S. rose significantly in recent years, and increases were seen in many Mountain West states – including some that are poised to ban abortion.

Following the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, those in Wyoming are wondering what happens next. During the last legislative session, Wyoming lawmakers passed a so called "trigger bill" that bans abortions in the state except in the case of rape, incest, or the possibility of death or serious bodily injury for the mother, which likely would have to be certified by doctors.

When Julie Burkhart learned about the Supreme Court draft opinion that would end abortion protections, she let out an involuntary shriek from her airplane seat. “Because it felt like such a gut punch,” Burkhart said. “And then after that, getting into the opinion and reading that — it was chilling.”

Early Wednesday morning, Julie Burkhart got a call she never really thought she was going to get. The building where Wellspring Health Access is located was set on fire. Police had arrived on the scene and extinguished it but there was substantial smoke damage.

In the past couple of weeks, the Memorial Hospital of Carbon County in Rawlins announced they will no longer be providing labor and child delivery services in June. That was the second hospital to make the decision within a month. South Lincoln Hospital District in Kemmerer also cut those services.

The Rawlins hospital will be ending its labor and child delivery services on June 15. This is a result of the pandemic putting the hospital in a financial crunch.