"Arizona's Abortion Ban: Power Struggles, Reversals, and Political Fallout"
Historians suggest that Arizona's 1864 near-total abortion ban was driven by power struggles, with male physicians seeking dominance over midwives and anti-abortion advocates feeling threatened by immigrants. The law, recently ruled enforceable by the state Supreme Court, reflected efforts to control reproductive rights and healthcare. The ban, which criminalized abortion before fetal movement detection, was part of a national movement to restrict abortion, giving physicians more power. The decision to uphold the law has sparked debate about gender equality and the uncertainty faced by doctors under today's national abortion restrictions.