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The U.S. Supreme Court declined an opportunity to approve tighter restrictions on abortion, turning away an appeal by Arizona officials defending a law that would restrict the use of drugs to end a pregnancy. The justices, without comment today, left intact a ruling that blocks the 2012 Arizona law while a legal challenge plays out. The measure, described by opponents as the country’s most extreme, has the effect of barring medicinal abortions after the seventh week of pregnancy and perhaps earlier as well. (Stohr, 12/15)

Arizona said the new restrictions in the law were meant to protect women’s health. But the groups challenging the law said it would make it extremely difficult for some women to obtain medical abortions, which are used in the earliest stages of pregnancy. (Barnes, 12/15)

The U.S. Supreme Court has blocked enforcement of an Arizona law aimed at limiting use of the increasingly popular abortion pill. In 2012 nearly half of the abortions in the state were via the pill, known as RU-486. The pill was approved by the FDA in 2000 for the first seven weeks of pregnancy. Since then, scientists have developed safer and smaller doses that allow the drug to be used through the ninth week. (Totenberg, 12/15)

The Supreme Court on Monday turned down Arizona's bid to limit how doctors prescribe drugs that are commonly used in early abortions. The justices in an unsigned order dismissed an appeal from Arizona state lawyers and let stand a lower court ruling that blocked the abortion regulation from taking effect. (Savage, 12/15)