If Roe V. Wade were overturned would most states make abort illegal? Would it decrease the rate of abortions?

Question

Thank you for your replies! I am a bit surprised some have made assumptions about my view on the subject -- I thought I asked this in as neutral a way as possible, but perhaps not.

I was curious about this, because I read an article in the Economist awhile back that suggested that most states would not outlaw abortion, even if given the authority to do so by the overturn of Roe V. Wade.

Answer 1

My understanding is roughly half the states have laws on the books that would outlaw it. And, no it woudn't reduce the number of abortions significantly. Women who could afford it would go to places it was legal; after all, abortion was legal in a few states before January 1973. Women who couldn't afford it would probably find a back-alley provider with all the risk that entails. Undergrounds would spring up to ensure some women got to a place where they could have the procedure done safely.

The only thing that will reduce the rate of abortions is reducing the rate of unwanted pregnancy. And ensuring all sexually active couples use contraception is the best way to do that.

Answer 2

If Roe V. Wade were overturned that would not make abortion illegal, it would simply return the issue of abortion to Congress and the various state legislators. And they are not going to do anything that doesn't have political support.

In my opinion, not much would be done at the Federal level. At most, a partial birth abortion ban--which they have taken up already anyway, some parental notification if minors seek abortions, and maybe something prohibiting the transportation of minors across state lines without parental consent for the purpose of obtaining an abortion. A few states would impose more comprehensive restrictions. A lot of states would do nothing.

Bottom line, at most a modest decrease in the number of abortions performed.

Answer 3

All you have to do is read about why ROE v WADE came about in the first place. What would happen is what happened before. If legal abortions drop....illegal abortions increase.....and the death of women increase. Before this was legal if you were a rich white girl Daddy could arrange to have a safe abortion to be done. But if you were poor there were not so ethical people doing them...and many died. It finally affected enough people rich or poor that society generally recognized that something had to be done....besides all of the rhetoric about morals....which was stronger then..and it didn't work....and would be very nuch less stronger now...and still wouldn't work. Seems logical to me. Plus in 30 years of healthcare I've seen what I'm speaking of.......so now I think: if you don't agree with abortion...simply don't have one.

Answer 4

Women have been getting abortions throughout human history. If a woman doesn't want to give birth, she won't....period.

What Roe v Wade did was guarantee a woman a safe, medical procedure instead of going to back alley butchers or trying self abortion with knitting needles, clothes hangers, poisons and other deadly things.

Without Roe v Wade, there would be the same number of abortion - and more dead women.

What you and others must understand is: NOBODY can FORCE a woman to give birth.... NOBODY can tell a woman what to do with her body. Pregnant or not, it is HER body and hers alone. No one else has the right to tell her how she must take care of her own body.

Answer 5

I would think that most people want to obey the law so I do believe that the numbers would drop significantly, there would be illegal abortions the same way they existed prior to Roe V Wade, the biggest difference is that these people could be arrested and charged with a crime and it is my hope that the crime would be murder..

Answer 6

I don't know what's wrong with you americans. Foetuses ARENT alive! Abortion should be legal and free at every hospital, women should have the right to chose what they do with their bodies.

Why do you morons want to destroy the rights our mothers and grandmothers in the suffrage movements fought so hard for?? Why do you want to remove the rights of women? Why are you AFRAID of women making their own reproductive decisions??

You are all sick, all of you, if you believe a ball of rapidly multiplying cells should have more rights than the REAL HUMAN WOMAN who it is inside of. (btw, cancer is ALSO a rapidly multiplying ball of cells, why aren't you fighting for the rights of tumors as well?? Hypocrites.)

No, it wouldn't decrease the rate of abortions, the only thing that will is education (and not the abstinence bs) and plentiful, free contraceptives.

Answer 7

Many states would. Abortion would not increase, only the location would change.

Making it a Federal Issue is wrong. Only the rights of the fetus should be Federally protected.

Answer 8

Just because something is illegal doesn't mean people will stop doing said illegal activity. Drugs are the perfect example.

Is it time to prepare my back alley abortion clinic yet?

Answer 9

Probably not. It would just take the responsibility for paying for it away from the Federal Government and send it back to be resolved by each state.

Answer 10

roe vs. wade is needed to protect women. if "contraceptives" were better and more available, then the number of those who needs abortion is reduced. studies on on sexually active teenagers in st. louis show that proper sexual-counseling and adequately provided contraceptive care did reduce the incidence of pregnancies, and so the need to request the termination of an UN-wanted pregnancies is reduced.
we need better medical care, and better women's health care, not less.