Here’s what legalising abortion has meant for US women
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What was it like in the US before abortion was legal? A doctor recalls botched, amateur procedures and fears health risks if abortion is re-criminalised.
By Susan Ruel
A woman’s ‘right to choose’ whether to carry a pregnancy to term has long been a contentious issue in the United States, even though the Supreme Court legalised abortion in its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.
The landmark ruling put the United States among the 30% of countries worldwide that permit abortion on the basis of the mother’s request, according to a United Nations report on world abortion policies.
Recently, the long-smouldering US battle over abortion rights has escalated to levels not seen since Roe was decided. A number of states with legislatures controlled by the conservative Republican Party have passed laws curbing or curtailing access to abortion – even in cases of rape or incest.
By the end of May, more than 350 bills that would restrict abortion had been proposed in state legislatures this year, accordi...
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