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The Maryland House passed Senate Bill 169 by a vote of 96-37, codifying emergency abortion protections under state law that mirror the Biden-era EMTALA federal guidelines. The bill, introduced by Senator Clarence Lam, ensures that hospitals in Maryland must provide emergency abortion care to stabilize patients with pregnancy-related medical emergencies, regardless of federal policy changes.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is investigating Maryland and 12 other states for allegedly coercing health care entities to provide or pay for abortion coverage contrary to the federal Weldon Amendment, which protects conscience rights. Maryland has taken steps as recently as 2025 to ensure reproductive care access following the Supreme Court's 2022 Dobbs decision, prompting this federal review of its abortion access laws.

A U.S. appeals court allowed the Trump administration to enforce a provision cutting Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood health centers that perform abortions in Maryland and other Democratic-led states. This ruling lifts a lower court injunction blocking the law's enforcement, which has contributed to closures of Planned Parenthood centers since its enactment in July 2023.

Telehealth abortions in Maryland increased by 15% between 2023 and 2024, while overall abortions in the state fell by 9.2%. Maryland has expanded protections for abortion access after the Dobbs ruling, including shield laws, a Public Health Abortion Grant Program, and constitutional enshrinement of reproductive rights.