A judge’s decision to temporarily block the state of Ohio law that mandates a 24-hour waiting period before an abortion occurs has been criticised as disregarding the seriousness of the situation for the women involved.

The criticism has come from the public policy arm of the Catholic Bishops of Ohio, who also warn that the decision may also contribute to women being pressurised into terminating their pregnancies.

Judge David C. Young, presiding over the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Court, issued a preliminary injunction on 23 August that blocked the 24-hour wait law, citing the language in the 2023 state constitutional amendment, known as Issue 1, that guarantees access to abortion.