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In a case that abortion rights supporters are calling a major victory, the Kansas Supreme Court rules that prosecutors cannot have unlimited access to abortion patients' medical records. The case pitted patients' privacy rights against the state's interest in prosecuting certain types of crimes.

The U.S. Department of Justice released more papers that shed new light on how Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito may rule on abortion cases in the future.

A new study shows that the rate of abortion in the U.S. has dropped to its lowest level since the mid-1970s. The survey, conducted by the Alan Guttmacher Institute, also found a rise in the use of the abortion pill mifepristone, also known as RU-486.

The debate within the Catholic Church over politicians who disagree with church policy -- specifically, the church's opposition to abortion -- could have an affect on the campaign of Sen. John Kerry, a pro-choice Catholic and the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. Hear NPR's Liane Hansen and Peter Steinfels, a religion and ethics columnist for The New York Times and author of A People Adrift: The Crisis of the Roman Catholic Church in America.

A controversial federal ban on a type of abortion procedure has been struck down by a federal judge in San Francisco. The "Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act," signed into law by President Bush last November, was declared to be unconstitutional and an infringement on a woman's right to choose. Hear NPR's Melissa Block and NPR's Richard Gonzales.

Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators meet for a rally at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in a show of support for abortion rights. The event, dubbed the March for Women's Lives, caps a weekend of rallies in the capital. Other issues raised included universal access to health care and same-sex marriage. NPR's Andrea Seabrook reports.

Massive demonstrations in Washington in support of abortion rights bring high-profile speakers and vocal opposition. Organizers called the event the "March for Women's Lives." While hundreds of thousands of marchers rallied to the capital, anti-abortion activists turned out in force, as well. Hear NPR's Libby Lewis, NPR's Cheryl Corley and former Texas governor Ann Richards.

A top Vatican official says Catholic politicians who favor abortion rights for women should be denied communion, the most sacred act of faith for Catholics. The proposed Vatican policy could affect Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry, a Catholic who supports abortion rights. Hear NPR's Melissa Block and John Feuerherd of The National Catholic Reporter.

The Supreme Court hears arguments on the constitutionality of the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act. The court had struck down a previous version of the measure on the grounds that it did not allow for doctors to use procedures they thought necessary to protect a woman's health.

The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology has published the first peer-reviewed study of an abortion procedure Congress banned last year. The study has the potential to shift the debate over the law. Contrary to claims by opponents in Congress, the study finds the procedure is no more dangerous than others used in the second trimester of pregnancy. NPR's Julie Rovner reports.