What Trump’s inauguration means for women’s reproductive rights

In the immediate aftermath of Donald Trump’s election victory in November 2024, a telling surge in the purchase of emergency contraceptives swept across the United States. Planned Parenthood reported a staggering 760% increase in appointments for intrauterine devices (IUDs) the day after his win. These trends reflect the palpable anxiety felt by many American women about the future of their reproductive rights under a second Trump administration.

Trump’s first term (2017–2021) cast a long shadow over women’s reproductive health. He appointed three justices with a track record of opposition to abortion rights to the Supreme Court. The appointees joined the Justice Alito abortion opinion leading to the historic overturning of Roe v. Wade in June 2022, which dismantled the constitutional right to abortion in the U.S. Since then, 14 states have enacted total abortion bans, with 12 currently in effect. A second Trump term could embolden more states to adopt similarly restrictive laws, further eroding access to abortion care.

The implications go beyond abortion access. During his first presidency, Trump imposed a “domestic gag rule” on Title X , the federal family planning program for low-income Americans. This rule barred clinics receiving Title X funds from providing or referring patients for abortion services. As a result, many clinics were forced to withdraw from the program, leaving millions without access to essential health services. Trump is widely expected to reinstate this policy, creating additional barriers to care for vulnerable populations.

Adding to these concerns is Project 2025, a far-right blueprint crafted by individuals from Trump’s previous administration, which lays out plans to further restrict reproductive health rights. Among its most alarming proposals are banning medication abortion and blocking its delivery by mail — a lifeline for those in states with abortion bans — allowing employers to exclude contraceptive coverage from health plans, enabling hospitals to deny emergency abortion care even in life-threatening situations, establishing an abortion surveillance system, and replacing comprehensive sex education with abstinence-only programs.

Globally, Trump’s return to power is likely to bring back the Global Gag Rule, officially known as the Mexico City Policy. First introduced by President Ronald Reagan in 1984, this policy blocks U.S. federal funding for foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that provide, refer or advocate for abortion services, even when those activities are funded independently. This forces organizations to choose between losing critical U.S. funding or abandoning comprehensive reproductive health care for the communities they serve.

Trump expanded the Global Gag Rule during his first term to cover nearly all U.S. bilateral global health assistance, making it its most expansive and harmful iteration. While the Biden administration rescinded the policy in 2021, its reimplementation under Trump would cut off funding for essential services like contraception access, cancer screenings and prenatal care, disproportionately affecting women and girls in low- and middle-income countries. Research shows that the Global Gag Rule increases unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions rather than reducing them, exacerbating the very issues it purports to address.

The stakes for women’s reproductive rights in the U.S. and globally have never been higher. Trump’s return to the White House threatens to undo decades of progress, leaving millions to grapple with the loss of autonomy over their bodies and futures. The urgency for resistance and advocacy cannot be overstated.

Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, issued a powerful statement  underscoring the dire stakes of a second Trump presidency for women’s health and autonomy:

“Women have died — and are continuing to die — as a result of President Trump’s actions in his first term. Expecting even more extreme actions in his second term, we are on high alert and prepared to sue at a moment’s notice. Our fighting force of lawyers is prepared to block or delay the administration’s most harmful actions. We will be in court every day for the next four years, if that’s what it takes. At the ready to support us are hundreds of pro bono attorneys from top firms, many of whom have worked for the very agencies we are prepared to sue and know their inner workings. We are already anticipating the tactics the administration will use and are preparing cases to act swiftly and aggressively.”

Her words capture the sense of urgency felt across the reproductive rights community, as advocates brace for potential policies that could further erode access to essential health care and endanger lives.

As the United States stands on the precipice of another Trump presidency, the fight for reproductive rights enters a critical juncture. The policies and ideologies that defined his first term set a troubling precedent, one that many fear will deepen the inequalities already faced by women in all their diversity, particularly those from marginalized communities. Beyond the statistics and political maneuvers, this is a human rights crisis — a direct challenge to the agency and dignity of millions of individuals.

The surge in women seeking contraception and long-term protection reflects more than just anxiety, it is a collective cry for self-determination in the face of systemic oppression. The potential reinstatement of domestic and global gag rules, combined with far-reaching plans like Project 2025, signals a grim future for anyone who values bodily autonomy and equitable access to health care.

But history has shown that progress often emerges from resistance. While the challenges ahead are monumental, they also present an opportunity for solidarity and action. Advocacy groups, legal teams and everyday citizens are mobilizing to defend reproductive rights with unprecedented urgency and resolve. The battle ahead may be long and arduous, but the resilience of those who believe in justice and equality should not be underestimated.

What happens next will shape not only the future of reproductive health but also the broader fight for gender equity and human rights. In this defining moment, the question is not just what Trump’s presidency means for women’s reproductive rights, but how society will respond to protect them. The time to act is now, and the responsibility lies with all of us.

Leisha Toory  is the founder of the Human Rights Award-nominated Period Priority Project, a consultant with the United Nations Institute for Social Development and United Nations Institute for Training and Research, an Amnesty Canada Gender Rights Specialized Team member, and holds a BA in Political Science from Memorial University.