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Ultrasounds have long been a flash point in the battle over abortions. But under a new law in North Carolina, doctors in the state must now submit ultrasound images, along with fetal measurements, to state authorities when performing abortions past a certain point in a pregnancy. The law, which was implemented Jan. 1, is meant to ensure abortion providers comply with previously established legislation that prohibits the procedures past 20 weeks of pregnancy. But critics of North Carolina’s new law say it is a gross violation of women’s privacy. (Bever, 1/16)

Thousands braved bitter cold temperatures for a "March for Life" in downtown Chicago on Sunday, five days before the 43rd anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion nationwide. Demonstrators held yellow balloons with "life" printed on them as organizers passed around rosary beads and others danced to music to keep warm in temperatures that hovered just above 0 degrees Fahrenheit. (Young and Wisniewski, 1/17)

As the third open enrollment period winds down on the health insurance marketplaces, one thing hasn’t changed much since the online exchanges opened: It’s still often hard to find out whether a plan covers abortion services. (Andrews, 1/19)