After Dobbs: How the Supreme Court Ended Roe but Not Abortion

by David S. Cohen, Carolyn Jania (Narrator), Carole Joffe

How hard-working individuals have kept abortion afloat in the wake of Roe v. Wade’s destruction, and the continued help needed if we want to sustain it

When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, many feared it meant the end of abortion access in the United States. Yet the courageous work of people on the ground has allowed abortion to survive post-Dobbs in ways that no one predicted.

In After Dobbs, law professor David S. Cohen and sociologist Carole Joffe interview 24 people across all different fields in abortion and in different state political environments to uncover how the abortion providing community and its allies prepared for, and then responded to this momentous event. Taking place across three intervals throughout 2022—pre-Dobbs in early 2022, right after Dobbs, and then six months later—these interviews showcase how nimble thinking on the part of providers, growth and new delivery models of abortion pills, and the never-ending work of those who help with abortion travel and funding have ensured most people who want them are still getting abortions, even without Roe.

But, as much as this is cause for celebration, the work required to make abortion possible is difficult and costly—in time, money, and emotion. There may soon come a time when the overturning of Roe means a much more severe decline in the number of people able to obtain the abortions they seek. But because of the work of the people in this book and those like them, even though Roe is dead, abortion is not . . . yet.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Feminism

Audible Audio

Published March 25, 2025

About the author

David S. Cohen is a professor of law at Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law, where he teaches constitutional law, reproductive rights, and gender and the law. Prior to teaching, Cohen was a staff attorney at the Women's Law Project. He is currently on the board of the Women's Law Project and the Abortion Care Network. He has co-authored two books about abortion in the United States -- Obstacle Course: The Everyday Struggle to Get an Abortion in America (2020) and Living in the Crosshairs: The Untold Stories of Anti-Abortion Terrorism (2015).

Reviews

[Cassie Ehrenberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book records and chronicles the history we are living through now, as SCOTUS and then the states have stripped us of our previously-protected abortion rights. Through real-time interviews, Cohen and Joffe show how this history unfolds from the perspectives of those who provide abortion care across the country. These stories of bravery and creativity give me hope and comfort.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great look at the many different ways, people, states, and more the Dobbs decision did and did not impact access to abortion.

[CBLa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated the range of discussions this book provided, from interviews with direct clinics and providers to interviews with support entities. Knowledge is power and the efforts made to empower individuals for informed health decisions in the wake of Dobbs is commendable. Providing the average reader with insight as to WHY these abortion bans in certain states impact our society is necessary to highlight broader perspectives. Too often, we get wrapped up in ourselves as individuals rather than as a community, not recognizing the plight of others or the larger-scaled impact. I’m so glad the authors returned with an epilogue to discuss the need for awareness of abortion rights and the possibilities that may come with the election outcomes. Definitely a worth-while read.