As Ohio votes in favour of abortion rights, what's next for pro-choice advocates?

A significant win for pro-choice advocates in the United States occurred on Tuesday when Ohio voters approved the inclusion of abortion rights in the state constitution making it the only state to do so.

CBS, the US partner of the BBC, predicted that the amendment would win handily in Ohio.

Nearly 56% of voters in the state that leans conservative supported it, according to early results.

Its accomplishment is probably going to give Democrats more optimism that abortion rights will continue to be a popular topic in front of the 2024 elections.

Additionally, it maintains the unbroken streak of ballot initiatives aimed at defending abortion rights since the Supreme Court's revocation of the countrywide right to the operation last year. This measure is the fifth of its kind to pass.

However, because Ohio was the first state headed by Republicans to propose amending its constitution to explicitly guarantee the right, its legislation, known as Issue 1, was largely seen as the hardest battle yet for proponents of abortion rights.

The proposed amendment will add provisions for access to abortion to the state constitution. Women's right to one's own reproductive medical treatment will be established, encompassing care for miscarriage, abortion, and contraception.

The amendment's proponents alerted voters to the possibility of new, more stringent legislation, such as a complete ban on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.

Currently, Ohio allows abortions up until 22 weeks of pregnancy.

On the other hand, opponents of the proposal said that it would legalise late-term abortions, which are presently prohibited.

Pro-choice advocates celebrated heartily as ballots continued to be tallied into the early hours of the morning, with US media predicting that the constitutional amendment would succeed.

"This is one of the greatest moments of my life, working so hard with my team beside me to achieve reproductive rights and freedoms in Ohio," Kate Gillie told the BBC at one watch party.

"We've got two little girls and this is about their future and their reproductive rights," another person at the party, Frank Tedeschi, said.

Protect Women Ohio, one of the main organisations opposing the proposal, has allegedly raised about $10 million (£8.1 million) since September.

In a statement, the group said: "Our hearts are broken tonight not because we lost an election, but because Ohio families, women and children will bear the brunt of this vote."

"We stand ready during this unthinkable time to advocate for women and the unborn," it added.

As long as there were provisions for situations when a doctor concluded the woman's "life or health" was in danger, it permitted the state to control the operation beyond fetal viability. 

When a fetus had "a significant likelihood of survival" outside the womb with appropriate therapies, it was said to be viable.

The abortion measure will take effect 30 days after the election, according to 10 WBNS.