Government website offering reproductive health information goes offline

The government website reproductiverights.gov appeared to be offline in the evening President Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Launched in 2022 by the US Department of Health and Human Services as part of a public education campaign, the site included information about access to abortion and reproductive health care and a Know-Your-Rights patient fact sheet.

“Reproductive health care, including access to contraception and safe and legal abortion care, is an essential part of your health and well-being,” a statement on the website read. “While Roe v. Wade was overturned, abortion remains legal in many states and other reproductive health services remain protected by law.”

The site confirmed that most employer-based health plans and private health insurance plans are required to cover certain prescription birth control methods under the Affordable Care Act, which Trump has calls made to cancel. It also listed other services covered by most insurance plans, including breast and cervical cancer screenings, prenatal care and HIV screenings.

The site reiterated that while abortion legality varies from state to state, Mifepristonein a regimen of misoprostol—otherwise known as a medication abortion—has been approved by the FDA and is safe and effective when used properly.

It was not clear exactly when the site went down, but it had been active as recently as January 15.

CBS News has reached out to the Trump administration for clarification on why the page was down, but has not heard back.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., tapped by Trump to oversee the Department of Health and Human Services, has flip-flopped on his public stance on abortion. He went on to say Facebook last year that “abortion should be legal up to a certain number of weeks, and restricted thereafter,” but also wrote that “every abortion is a tragedy,” and called for reducing abortions “by better supporting mothers, parents and families. “

In 2023, he expressed to an NBC News reporter that he would support a national ban on abortion after the first three months of pregnancy, but hours later, a Kennedy spokesman said he “does not support legislation banning abortion.” the newspaper. reported.

Trump, meanwhile, has said that abortion decisions should be left up to the states, and that he would veto a federal abortion ban, while repeatedly taking credit for the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, 12 states currently have a total abortion ban, and four states prohibit abortion after six weeks, when most women are not yet aware they are pregnant. According to one CBS News pollmost Americans continue to favor legal abortion in all or most cases.