Which of the following reflects the supreme court decision in roe v. wade (1973) ?

Data, analysis and more from our experts

On June 24, 2022, the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision that affirmed the constitutional right to abortion. Over decades, research has demonstrated that abortion bans most severely impact people in marginalized groups who already struggle to access health care, including abortion.

This page presents new Guttmacher evidence on who will be most impacted by the Supreme Court’s decision. It also includes information on the legal landscape for abortion across the United States, as well as policy analyses and key research findings.

To help people understand the complex landscape of US abortion legality and access, our interactive map groups states into one of seven categories based on abortion policies they currently have in effect. Select any state to see details about abortion policies in place and key abortion statistics.

Key Evidence and Data

The infographics and animated graphics in this library provide an overview of data and policies about abortion in the United States, as well as who would be impacted if Roe is weakened or overturned. They are free to use with proper attribution to the Guttmacher Institute.

Background Information

In the US Midterm Elections, Resounding Victories for Abortion on State Ballot Measures

The stakes for abortion access were high in this year’s US midterm elections. Voters in five states—California, Michigan, Vermont, Kentucky and Montana—decided on abortion-related ballot measures and came down decisively in favor of abortion rights and access.

Read the analysis (November 2022)

100 Days Post-Roe: At Least 66 Abortion Clinics Across 15 States Have Stopped Offering Abortion Care

October 2 marked 100 days since the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a decision that has resulted in states across the nation severely restricting access to abortion. New Guttmacher research found that 100 days after the June 24 decision, 66 clinics across 15 states have been forced to stop offering abortions, further deepening inequities in access to care. 

Read the analysis(October 2022)

Undoing of Roe v. Wade Leaves US as Global Outlier on Abortion

The US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade has resulted in a chaotic legal landscape and restrictions on the rights of millions. It also bucked the global trend toward liberalizing abortion laws—a progressive trajectory that will continue only through a commitment to evidence-based policies designed to support sexual and reproductive rights.

Read the analysis(August 2022) and therelated commentary in BMJ(August 2022)

One Month Post-Roe: At Least 43 Abortion Clinics Across 11 States Have Stopped Offering Care

In the first month following the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, 11 states–all in the South and Midwest–had banned abortion completely or implemented a six-week ban. Our latest research shows that by July 24, the number of clinics offering abortions in these 11 states dropped by 43, from 71 to 28. These clinic closures will further deepen inequities in access to care.

Read the analysis(July 2022)
 

Even Before Roe Was Overturned, Nearly One in 10 People Obtaining an Abortion Traveled Across State Lines for Care

New data on out-of-state travel for abortion care provides essential context to understand the major shifts in abortion rights and access in the United States that have taken place in 2021 and 2022, notably the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The data show that almost one in 10 people who got an abortion in 2020 traveled out of their home state to get care—a proportion that is likely to increase in a post-Roe US.

Read the analysis (July 2022)
 

US Supreme Court Overturns Roe v. Wade – Guttmacher Statement

On June 24, 2022, anti-abortion ideologues on the US Supreme Court explicitly overturned Roe v. Wade. The decision will have enormous consequences for pregnant people across a wide swath of US states, who will now find it extremely difficult—and in many cases impossible—to get the care they want and need. Marginalized communities will be hit the hardest by this far-reaching decision. 

Read the statement (June 2022)
 

State Policy Trends at Midyear 2022: With Roe About to Be Overturned, Some States Double Down on Abortion Restrictions

Even before a leaked US Supreme Court draft opinion made it clear that a majority of the justices are poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, abortion-related measures had soared to the top of state legislative agendas in the first six months of 2022. Many of these laws sharply curtail abortion rights and access, and some criminalize actions that help someone seek an abortion. At the same time, a number of states passed legislation to protect and expand the right to abortion care.

Read the analysis(June 2022)
 

Long-Term Decline in US Abortions Reverses, Showing Rising Need for Abortion as Supreme Court is Poised to Overturn Roe v. Wade

The 30-year decline in abortions in the United States has reversed, according to new findings from Guttmacher’s Abortion Provider Census. In 2020, there were 8% more abortions nationwide than in 2017. Abortion incidence increased in all regions of the country and varied widely across and within states. These new findings highlight a growing need for abortion care in the United States just as the Supreme Court appears likely to overturn or gut Roe v. Wade. The most marginalized communities that already struggle to access abortion care bear the brunt of policies that aim to restrict or ban access to abortion care. An increase in abortion is a positive development if it means people are getting the health care they want and need. Rather than focusing on reducing abortion, policies should center the needs of people and protect their right to bodily autonomy.

Read the analysis (June 2022)
 

13 States Have Abortion Trigger Bans—Here's What Happens When Roe Is Overturned

Thirteen states have laws in place that are designed to take effect automatically or by quick state action if Roe no longer applies—Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Wyoming. While all such “trigger” laws have the same intent of banning abortion, their implementation mechanisms, timelines and other details differ. Our analysis discusses these important details for all 13 states. 

Read the analysis(June 2022)
 

Here's How Philanthropy Can Protect Access to Abortion in a Post-'Roe v. Wade' World 

In a new op-ed in The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Guttmacher experts detail priority areas where philanthropists should urgently make investments to support and protect access to abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned. The authors argue that the leaked Supreme Court opinion makes clear that now is the time for philanthropists who believe in social justice and human rights to support abortion access, protect those likely to be harmed by abortion bans and work toward restoring strong policies. 

Read the op-ed (May 2022)
 

Leaked Draft of US Supreme Court Opinion Would Overturn Roe v. Wade Outright

On May 2, Politico published a leaked draft of the Supreme Court majority decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that would explicitly overturn Roe v. Wade and 50 years of the Court’s own legal precedent upholding the constitutional right to abortion. This news release includes a statement by Dr. Herminia Palacio and highlights the consequences if the Court issues a similar decision to this draft version, including that 26 states are certain or likely to move quickly to ban abortion.

Read the news release (May 2022)
 

2022 State Legislative Sessions: Abortion Bans and Restrictions on Medication Abortion Dominate

With the US Supreme Court poised to weaken or overturn Roe v. Wade, 2022 is shaping up to be a devastating year for abortion rights and access. More than 500 restrictions have been introduced since the start of state legislative sessions in January. Two key themes emerging are anti-abortion policymakers’ continued pursuit of various types of abortion bans and restrictions on medication abortion. Many state legislatures have also introduced measures to protect or expand abortion rights and access to care. Our experts continually update this guide to help readers keep track of the latest abortion laws. 

Read the analysis (March 2022)
 

State Policy Trends 2021: The Worst Year for Abortion Rights in Almost Half a Century

Conservative-led state legislatures enacted a record 108 abortion restrictions in 19 states in 2021. These legislatures also focused on passing measures that restrict voting access and enacting discriminatory policies against LGBTQ individuals, especially transgender youth. At the same time, some state legislatures expanded access to reproductive health services. More than half of the states increased access to pregnancy and postpartum care; many of these new provisions were designed to reduce racial disparities in maternal mortality. Several states now allow pharmacists to prescribe contraceptives or medication that helps prevent HIV. And a few states expanded access to abortion services, primarily by repealing restrictions.

Read the analysis (January 2022)
 

Why This Anniversary of Roe v. Wade Matters So Much: Reflections from Guttmacher Experts

Since Roe v. Wade was decided by the US Supreme Court in 1973, the right to an abortion has been increasingly hollowed out, making it a right on paper only for far too many people. However, while Roe alone is far from enough, it is still a crucial safeguard and the foundation on which to build a future where all people can get the care they need, want and deserve. Our experts reflect on what this anniversary means to them.

Read the resource(January 2022)
 

Texas Abortion Ban Foreshadows the Potential Fate of Half the Nation

In a new op-ed, Herminia Palacio of the Guttmacher Institute and Jamila Perritt of Physicians for Reproductive Health detail the barriers for Texans seeking an abortion in the wake of the state’s ban at six weeks of pregnancy. The dire situation in Texas offers a glimpse of what could be in store for nearly half of the nation, as the US Supreme Court hears a case about Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban that challenges Roe v. Wade. Depending on how the Supreme Court rules, millions of people could lose the right to get an abortion in their home state. 

Read the op-ed (November 2021)
 

Resources for Journalists: 15 Things to Consider When Covering Abortion, the Supreme Court and a Potential “Post-Roe World”

The US abortion policy landscape is undergoing major shifts. Here are 15 key ideas for journalists, whether new or experienced with the topic, to consider as they write about the future of abortion rights in the country.

Read the resource (November 2021)

New Evidence: Texas Residents Have Obtained Abortions in at Least 12 States That Do Not Border Texas

Guttmacher researchers have new survey data showing the immediate and far-reaching impact of Texas’ ban on abortion after six weeks of pregnancy (S.B. 8). Excluding the four states that border Texas, 11 states and the District of Columbia had an increase in the number of abortions provided to Texas residents. These included states that are hundreds, and even thousands, of miles from the Texas border, such as Illinois, Washington, Ohio and Maryland.

Read the analysis (November 2021)

26 States Are Certain or Likely to Ban Abortion Without Roe

If Roe v. Wade were overturned or fundamentally weakened, 21 states have laws or constitutional amendments already in place that would make them certain to attempt to ban abortion as quickly as possible. An additional five states have political composition, history and other indicators—such as recent actions to limit access to abortion—that show they are likely to ban abortion as soon as possible without federal protections. This analysis details which states are in each category and the types of restrictions they have passed.

Read the analysis (October 2021)

For the First Time Ever, U.S. States Enacted More Than 100 Abortion Restrictions in a Single Year

Through early October 2021, states have enacted 106 abortion restrictions. This is the highest number of restrictions passed since Roe v. Wade was decided in 1973, and this year is also the first time that Guttmacher’s count of enacted restrictions has hit triple digits. Earlier this year, the number of state abortion restrictions had already surpassed the previous record of 89 restrictions set in 2011.

Read the analysis (October 2021)

Amicus Brief by the American Public Health Association, Guttmacher Institute and others

Signed by almost 500 individual scholars and public health professionals, the American Public Health Association, the Guttmacher Institute and the Center for U.S. Policy. The brief demonstrates that abortion is an essential component of reproductive health care, explains the far-reaching public health consequences of previability abortion bans and shows how abortion bans would disproportionately affect marginalized populations.

Read the amicus brief (September 2021)

Amicus Brief by Social Science Experts

Signed by more than 100 social scientists with extensive experience conducting and publishing peer-reviewed research about the safety, incidence and health impacts of abortion. The brief demonstrates that abortion is a common and safe medical procedure, explains why Mississippi’s abortion ban would increase risks to pregnant people’s health and safety, and documents why the ban would disproportionately impact marginalized populations. The brief further details how denying access to abortion has negative socioeconomic consequences.

Read the amicus brief (September 2021)

Mississippi Is Attacking Roe v. Wade Head On—the Consequences Could Be Severe

In this report, Guttmacher experts estimate how many people nationwide obtain abortions at or after 15 weeks of pregnancy and calculate driving distances for Mississippi residents seeking an abortion under further restrictions. The analysis describes how distances to reach an abortion clinic would dramatically increase, along with the burdens on those seeking abortion care, if the state’s 15-week abortion ban is upheld or if Roe v. Wade is fundamentally weakened.

Read the report (August 2021)

State Policy Trends at Midyear 2021: Already the Worst Legislative Year Ever for U.S. Abortion Rights

By July, 2021 had set the record for the worst year for abortion rights at the state level. In this analysis, our experts tally 90 restrictions enacted in the first six months of this year, detail the onslaught of attacks on transgender health and rights, and spotlight states that have been proactive in safeguarding abortion access and improving maternal health.

Read the analysis (July 2021)

Abortion Is at the Supreme Court Again. It's Different This Time

In this Scientific American op-ed, Guttmacher state policy expert Elizabeth Nash details what’s at stake when the U.S. Supreme Court hears a case on Mississippi’s unconstitutional 15-week abortion ban.

Read the op-ed (June 2021)

Abortion Service Delivery in Clinics by State Policy Climate in 2017

This study explores several aspects of abortion care, including cost, gestational parameters and types of other services that clinics offer. The researchers found that most abortion facilities provide a range of other health care services, but the number of clinics offering these services was higher in states with policies supportive of abortion.

Read the study (October 2020)

Gestational Age Bans: Harmful at Any Stage of Pregnancy

Gestational age bans are a favored tactic of antiabortion activists and politicians as they seek to undermine and ultimately overturn the constitutional right to abortion. This analysis outlines how these policies are harmful by placing an arbitrary deadline on abortion care with no consideration for the health, circumstances or well-being of those seeking abortion.

Read the analysis (January 2020)

Abortion Incidence and Service Availability in the United States, 2017

Guttmacher’s most recent data on abortion in the United States found that abortion reached its lowest rate nationally since Roe v. Wade, continuing a trend of long-term decline. The report also documented changes in the number and location of abortion providers, with an increase in the Northeast and the West and decrease in the Midwest and the South.

Read the report (September 2019)

Characteristics of U.S. Abortion Patients in 2014 and Changes Since 2008

This report lays out the sociodemographic characteristics of U.S. abortion patients, including age-group, relationship status, race and ethnicity, nativity, education level, prior births, income level, religion, sexual orientation and insurance coverage.

Read the report (May 2016)