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Watch live outside the Supreme Court as it is expected to act before a self-imposed deadline on whether access to an abortion pill will stay the same or be restricted.
The justices, who are a 6-3 conservative majority, are considering a lower court decision to place restrictions on the availability of mifepristone, which is used in the most common method of terminating a pregnancy in the United States.
It comes after a Texas judge suspended approval of the drug in early April, citing that the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) rushed to approve it 23 years ago without adequately considering the side effects.
The drug, as well as another abortion pill, misoprostol, have been found by major health organizations to be safe and effective.
The US Department of Justice and the maker of mifepristone, Danco Laboratories, have asked the Supreme Court to step in and remove the restrictions on the pill while the lower appeals court reviews the case.
The Supreme Court had originally said it would decide on Wednesday, April 19, whether the restrictions would take effect while the case continues, but an order signed by Justice Samuel Alito on the same day gave justices an additional two days without explanation.
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