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# Does the state of South Dakota penalize women for taking an abortion pill?
- URL: https://www.sdnewswatch.org/south-dakota-abortion-pill-penalty-women-fact-brief/
- Published: 2025-03-12T11:59:09.000Z
- Updated: 2025-03-20T12:03:32.000Z
- Description: A short fact brief that refutes or confirms a claim with supporting information and additional evidence and context.
- Author: Megan Luther
- Tags: Fact briefs

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## No.

While abortion is illegal in South Dakota, the state penalizes those who provide medical and surgical abortions rather than those who receive them.

The abortion pill is two medications, mifepristone and misoprostol, and is generally taken no later than 12 weeks into a pregnancy. 

It’s a Class 6 felony in South Dakota for anyone to prescribe abortion pills or administer an abortion, except to save the life of the mother. Offenders can receive a $4,000 fine and/or two years in prison. However, state law says that a woman who obtains an unlawful abortion will not be criminally charged.

South Dakota’s abortion ban went into effect in June 2022 after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

In a 2024 ballot measure to restore abortion rights, 59% of South Dakota voters declined to enshrine the right to an abortion in the South Dakota Constitution. 

**This fact brief responds to conversations such as* [**this one*](https://x.com/mathryn%5Fm/status/1850962036152549808?ref=sdnewswatch.org)**.*

### Sources

South Dakota Codified Law, [22-17-5.2](https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/22-17-5.2?ref=sdnewswatch.org)

South Dakota Codified Law, [22-6-1](https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/22-6-1?ref=sdnewswatch.org)

Medical News Today, [What does the abortion pill do?](https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/what-does-the-abortion-pill-do?ref=sdnewswatch.org#summary) 

South Dakota Codified Law, [22-17-5.1](https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/22-17-5.1?ref=sdnewswatch.org)

South Dakota Public Broadcasting, [With Roe v Wade decision and trigger law, most abortions now illegal in South Dakota ](https://www.sdpb.org/politics/2022-06-24/with-roe-v-wade-decision-and-trigger-law-most-abortions-now-illegal-in-south-dakota?ref=sdnewswatch.org)

South Dakota News Watch, [2024 South Dakota election results](https://www.sdnewswatch.org/2024-south-dakota-election-results/)

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