2 December 2021

Abortion could be banned in 26 US states if Roe vs Wade is weakened

The US Supreme Court is hearing one of the most serious challenges to abortion rights in nearly 50 years.

Photo by Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

On Wednesday 1 December, the US Supreme Court signalled its readiness to restrict access to abortion by upholding a Mississippi law seeking to ban most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. It is a serious challenge to Roe v Wade, the 1973 ruling that constitutionally established a woman’s right to abortion before foetal viability at roughly 24 weeks. The court is likely to deliver its decision on whether to weaken or overturn Roe V Wade in June or July 2022.

The ruling could pave the way for abortion bans in 26 states, according to the Guttmacher Institute, which researches sexual and reproductive health.

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