Reproductive Rights Website Taken Down Amid Trump Administration Changes

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) website, ReproductiveRights.gov, launched in 2022 to provide information on abortion access and reproductive health care, appeared to go offline on Jan. 21, 2024. The site, part of a public awareness campaign under the Biden administration, offered resources on abortion rights, contraception, and patient protections under the Affordable Care Act.

The website, which was active as recently as Jan. 15, 2024, emphasized that abortion remains legal in many states despite the Supreme Court‘s 2022 reversal of Roe v. Wade. It also highlighted federal protections for birth control coverage, cancer screenings, and prenatal care. The site’s disappearance coincides with the start of the second Trump administration, raising questions about the new administration’s stance on reproductive rights.

“Reproductive health care, including access to birth control and safe and legal abortion care, is an essential part of your health and well-being,” a statement on the now-defunct website read. The site also provided a Know-Your-Rights fact sheet for patients, detailing protections under federal law.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s nominee to lead HHS, has shifted his public stance on abortion in recent years. In 2023, Kennedy told NBC News he would support a national abortion ban after the first trimester, though his spokesperson later clarified that he does not back legislation banning abortion. Kennedy has previously called for reducing abortions by supporting families and parents.

Trump, who has repeatedly taken credit for the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, has stated that abortion decisions should be left to the states. However, he has not ruled out supporting a federal abortion ban. According to the Guttmacher Institute, 12 states currently enforce total abortion bans, while four others prohibit the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy.

The removal of ReproductiveRights.gov reflects broader changes in federal health policy under the new administration. Searches for “abortion” on HHS.gov now yield outdated results, with the most recent link dating back to January 2020. Attempts to sort results by date return an error message stating “search unreachable.”

Mary Ziegler, a law professor at UC Davis and an expert on abortion policy, noted that the Trump administration’s initial actions on abortion have been less aggressive than expected. “It may be that Trump simply wants to do those things when the lights aren’t as bright,” Ziegler said. “But it’s too early to know.”

During Trump’s first term, HHS prioritized “conscience rights” for religious organizations opposed to abortion. The current edits to HHS.gov suggest a return to that approach. The Biden administration, by contrast, framed abortion as an individual right, a perspective now largely absent from federal websites.

Despite the changes, some resources remain accessible, including a page urging the protection of reproductive care. The defunct ReproductiveRights.gov site had also directed users to state-specific information on abortion restrictions and financial assistance programs.

HHS has not responded to requests for comment on the website’s removal or the broader policy shifts. Kennedy’s confirmation hearing has yet to be scheduled, leaving his future role in shaping reproductive health policy uncertain.