Which U.S. states have banned abortion entirely or with very limited exceptions as of 2025?
Executive summary
As of the reporting in the supplied sources, at least 12–13 U.S. states have enforced near‑total or total abortion bans with very limited exceptions, and multiple trackers show a patchwork that changed through 2024–2025 (Guttmacher’s policy map and KFF dashboard document the shifting landscape) [1] [2]. Recent court decisions — notably the North Dakota Supreme Court reinstating a near‑total ban in November 2025 — illustrate how state bans can return, raising the count and making any single tally time‑sensitive [3] [4].
1. The headline: several states have near‑total bans, but counts vary by tracker
Different organizations count “total” or “near‑total” bans differently. Guttmacher groups states by whether bans prohibit abortion throughout pregnancy or impose early gestational limits, showing many states enforcing strict limits after Dobbs v. Jackson [1]. KFF’s dashboard and KFF’s exceptions tracker also document that by mid‑2025 a substantial subset of states had bans or very early limits, and they note the number and nature of exceptions varies [2] [5]. Media outlets and encyclopedias likewise report 12–13 states with total or near‑total bans as of late 2025, but the exact list depends on definitions and recent court rulings [6] [7].
2. Why counts differ: “total” vs. “near‑total,” exceptions, and court reversals
Some laws are literal total bans; others are “near‑total” because they allow narrow exceptions (life of the pregnant person, brief rape/incest windows, or fatal fetal anomaly exceptions). KFF’s tracker shows bans commonly include varying exceptions and that some states have no health or rape/incest exception at all — which changes whether a law is considered a “total” ban [5]. Courts have frequently enjoined or reinstated laws; for example, North Dakota’s near‑total ban was blocked, then reinstated by the state supreme court in November 2025, demonstrating how litigation alters which states are effectively banning abortion at any given moment [3] [4].
3. Recent, high‑profile example: North Dakota’s reinstated ban
North Dakota’s Supreme Court reversed a lower court and reinstated a near‑total ban in November 2025, making it a felony for providers to perform abortions except in very narrow circumstances (life/health exceptions, and rape/incest within an early window in some reports). Providers are insulated from prosecution but the judgment creates prison and fine exposure for doctors — a pattern mirrored in other states’ bans and enforcement schemes [3] [4] [8].
4. What national trackers show about the overall landscape
Guttmacher’s state‑policy database and interactive map categorize states into a spectrum from protected access to total bans and early gestational limits; they portray a fragmented, polarized map after the Dobbs decision [1] [9]. KFF’s dashboard and policy watches emphasize that, post‑Dobbs, states are the primary drivers of access and that the presence or absence of exceptions is critical for how restrictive a law functions in practice [2] [5].
5. Why this matters: access, health exceptions, and real‑world impacts
Analysts and investigative reporting cited by State Court Report and other outlets show narrow exceptions and unclear emergency‑care rules can delay or block medical care, with documented patient harms in states with strict bans [10]. The Guttmacher materials underscore that bans disproportionately affect marginalized people, who face greater barriers to traveling out of state or obtaining resources for care [1].
6. How to interpret headline counts: read the definitions and the date
When asked “which states have banned abortion entirely or almost entirely,” be aware that: (a) some lists count only statutes that criminalize most abortions; (b) others include laws with narrow exceptions or early gestational limits; and (c) court activity can flip a state from “banned” to “allowed” within months. Published tallies in late 2024–2025 ranged around a dozen‑plus states, but sources differ on precise numbers and which states to include [6] [7] [11].
7. Where to get a current, state‑by‑state readout
For up‑to‑date, granular status (which statute is in effect, and what exceptions apply), Guttmacher’s state policy pages and KFF’s Abortion in the U.S. Dashboard are the most detailed public trackers cited here; both document nuances such as gestational limits and exception types [1] [2]. Media accounts (NYT, Reuters) can provide recent court decisions that change a state’s status, as with North Dakota in November 2025 [4] [3].
Limitations and final note: the supplied sources do not list an identical, single “as of” roster of states with total bans; counts vary by definition and by rapid legal developments, and recent court decisions (e.g., North Dakota) can change the tally within days [1] [3].