In this latest ruling -- the result of two related cases, Gonzales v. Carhart and Gonzales v. Planned Parenthood -- the court for the first time upheld a law that bans a specific abortion method. Furthermore, the majority in Carhart and Planned Parenthood (together referred to from now on as Carhart) declared the federal statute to be constitutional even though it does not contain an explicit exception in cases in which a woman's health is in danger. This is a significant departure from earlier abortion rulings, which had required that laws restricting abortion include such a health provision.
Read the full article The Supreme Court Charts a New Direction on Abortion Jurisprudence in Gonzales v. Carhart at the Pew Research Center Web site.