Women's health clinics have sued the state of Texas over its new abortion law, which they say will close more than a third of abortion providers in the state. Here, advocates for and against the bill are seen outside the Texas Capitol in Austin in July. Eric Gay/AP hide caption
Texas, where abortion-rights battles took place in July at the state capitol, is part of an eight-state region that has gotten more conservative on the issue. Eric Gay/AP hide caption
Becca Besaw of Austin, Texas, and Christopher Robertson of Fort Worth, Texas, protest the state's new law restricting access to abortion at a rally in Dallas on July 15. Tony Gutierrez/AP hide caption
Texas state Sen. Wendy Davis at an abortion-rights rally in Austin on Monday. Eric Gay/AP hide caption
Members of the gallery in the Capitol in Austin played a role in a vote on an abortion bill taking place after an official deadline. "We will not allow the breakdown of decorum and decency to prevent us from doing what the people of this state hired us to do," Gov. Rick Perry said Wednesday, in calling for a special session. Eric Gay/AP hide caption
Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., was chosen by House Republican leaders to manage a bill that would ban many abortions. J. Scott Applewhite/AP hide caption
Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., has introduced a federal bill to ban most abortions after 20 weeks' gestation — six weeks into the second trimester. This is the second straight Congress he's done so, but this time he's broadened his bill to encompass all 50 states, not just D.C. Matt York/AP hide caption
Jack McMahon, the defense attorney for abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell, speaks outside the Philadelphia courthouse after the guilty verdicts Monday. Matt Rourke/AP hide caption
Kansas House Speaker Ray Merrick, a Republican, watches the chamber's electronic tally board as it approves a sweeping anti-abortion bill Friday at the Statehouse in Topeka. At left is Majority Leader Jene Vickrey. John Hanna/AP hide caption