US Abortion Laws: US Supreme Court overturns 50-year-old decision on abortion, know why it is being opposed

6 min readJun 26, 2022

In one of its important decisions, the US Supreme Court has overturned a five-decade-old decision to legalize abortion, after which demonstrations are taking place in different cities of the country. After this, now the right of abortion for women will be legal. Different states of America can make their own rules regarding whether or not.

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In America, there has been a debate about abortion. The US Supreme Court has overturned a nearly 50-year-old historic decision that legally approved abortion, after which protests are being raised here. After the US Supreme Court overturned the Roe v Wade decision, the legal status of the right to abortion for women in America will end. The US Supreme Court has made it clear in the decision that the country’s constitution does not give the right of abortion.

In America, there is every possibility that all the states of the country can make their own rules regarding abortion. Abortion can be made illegal in most of the southern and midwestern states of America, while it can be exempted in some states.

What did the US Supreme Court decide in 1973

The decision which has been reversed regarding abortion in America was given by the US Supreme Court in the year 1973. The name of this case is Roe vs. Wade.
In that case, a woman named Norma McCorvy already had two children, but she did not want a third child. The Federal Court did not allow her to have an abortion, shortly after which she approached the Supreme Court and the court, while ruling in favor, allowed the abortion.
During that time the court said that the decision regarding the pregnancy should be of the woman. After this decision of the Supreme Court, women in America got the right to safe abortion.

What will be the effect of this decision of the US Supreme Court

Human rights-conscious people, activists and leaders are on the street after the constitutional right to abortion was taken away in America. It is being told that this decision of the court will change the lives of Americans, will give a new direction to the politics of the country and will completely ban abortion in almost half of America’s states.
With the reversal of the Roe v Wade decision, US states will again be allowed to completely ban abortion. Human rights activists believe it will forever change the national understanding of American women’s independence, self-determination, and individual liberty.

Why is this decision being opposed in America?

Many people are outraged by the abrogation of the constitutional status of abortion in America. Women are demanding abortion rights. Protests have also taken place in many cities of the country for the right of abortion.
Most Americans are of the opinion that the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision should be upheld. In a 1973 judgment, the Supreme Court had held that women have the right to decide whether or not to conceive.
After this decision of the Supreme Court, abortion clinics have started closing in some states of America.
The direct impact of this decision is being seen at an abortion clinic in Little Rock, Arkansas state.
There, as soon as the court posted its decision online, the doors of the clinic were closed for abortions. The clinic staff phoned and told the women that their appointments had been canceled after the court’s decision.
With the decision made public, the Women’s Health Care Centre, one of the three abortion centers in the state, was immediately closed and employees working there were told to go home.
Linda Kocher, standing outside this clinic, said that there would be no problem for rich women. They will go to other states for abortion but poor women will have to bear the brunt of it.

What will be the direct impact of this decision on the people of America

In such a situation, if we talk in terms of statistics, then it is expected that about 36 million (36 million) women will be deprived of the right to abortion in their state. These figures have been released by Planned Parenthood, a healthcare organization.
This new law has already been implemented in Kentucky, Louisiana, Arkansas, South Dakota, Missouri, Oklahoma and Alabama.
Restrictions in Mississippi and North Dakota will go into effect with the approval of the Attorney General there.
These restrictions will go into effect in the next 30 days in Idaho, Tennessee and Texas
When this decision came, many protesters were present outside the court. After this decision, protests have been registered in more than 50 cities of America.
Anti-abortion laws have been debated in America for a long time. A recent Pew survey found that nearly 61 percent of adults said abortion should be completely legal or, in most cases, legal. Whereas 37 percent said that this should not happen.
According to anti-abortion advocate Terre Harding, every life needs to be protected.

What was the 1973 “Roe vs. Wade” case

A petition was filed in the Supreme Court on behalf of a woman who failed to get an abortion in America in 1971. It was called the Roe vs. Wade case.
It said that the decision of pregnancy and abortion should be of the woman and not of the government.
Two years later, in 1973, the court declared abortion legal and said that the Constitution gives the pregnant woman the right to make decisions.
After this, it became obligatory for hospitals to provide abortion facilities to women.
The decision gave American women the legal right to have an abortion in the first three months of pregnancy. However, restrictions were imposed regarding abortion in the second trimester ie from the fourth to the sixth month.
But this was a big issue for religious groups in America because they believed that the fetus had the right to life.
The views of the Democratic Party and the Republican Party differed on this issue. By 1980, this issue started becoming a cause of polarization.

What did the US government say on the court’s decision

Heard President Biden condemning the Supreme Court’s decision. Biden said in one of his addresses that the decision put women’s health and lives at risk.
Biden said the decision reflected ideological bigotry and that the Supreme Court’s decision was deeply saddened
. Do not stop women traveling for (travel to states where this is the law)
US Vice President Kamala Harris has also tweeted her comment on this.
He wrote, “There are tens of millions of women in America today without any health care and reproductive health care. The people of America have been stripped of their constitutional rights.”
Meanwhile, former Vice President Mike Pence, a longtime opponent of the Roe v. Wade verdict, urged those involved in the anti-abortion campaign not to stop until the sanctity of life is accepted in every state.

What is the law on abortion in India

In India, the law regarding abortion was amended last year, after which the valid period for abortion was increased from 20 weeks to 24 weeks.
According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, on 16 March 2021, the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020 in India was passed in the Rajya Sabha.
It said that the period of validity for abortion has been extended for specific types of women, which will be defined by amendment in the MTP rules and include rape victims, victims of sexual contact with relatives and other vulnerable women (women with disabilities). , minor) would also be involved.
Earlier, India had the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971, in which amendments have been made.
There was a provision in this act that if a woman is pregnant for 12 weeks, then she can get an abortion on the advice of a doctor. At the same time, the advice of two doctors was mandatory in 12–20 weeks and the woman was not allowed to have an abortion in 20–24 weeks.
But in this amended bill, it has been made necessary to consult a doctor at 12 and 12–20 weeks.
Apart from this, if the fetus is of 20–24 weeks, then some category of women will have to consult two doctors and if the fetus is more than 24 weeks, then permission will be given only after medical advice.

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