Why do people always talk about Roe v. Wade?

For 50 years, Roe v. Wade was the landmark case in the United States that established a woman’s legal right to access abortion. This decision had a significant impact on the country’s political, legal, and social landscape, and it is a topic of controversy to this day. People still talk about Roe v. Wade because it continues to shape the debate around reproductive rights, women’s health, and government regulations. The case is often referenced in discussions surrounding abortion laws, Supreme Court nominations, and political campaigns.

Why did Roe go away?

The reason Roe went away is because the Supreme Court overturned the landmark ruling, effectively allowing states to have more power in regulating access to abortion. This decision has sparked controversy and raised concerns about access to reproductive healthcare for women across the country.

If you ask how does Ohio stack up on abortion rights, you’re not alone. Millions of us want to know what is going on with abortions in Ohio. At Red Wine & Blue, we give the 411 on Mifepristone access, current Ohio abortion laws in 2023, and what are women’s options in Ohio.

Is Abortion Legal in Ohio?

When Roe V Wade fell in June 2022, it became illegal overnight to get an abortion in Ohio after 6 weeks due to a pre-existing “trigger law.” For months, millions of individuals didn’t have access to essential reproductive rights and healthcare.

The courts temporarily blocked the abortion ban in the fall of 2022. While abortion is legal today in Ohio, reproductive rights could disappear again as soon as tomorrow. Ohio law prohibits abortions after 20 weeks of gestation, and requires a 24-hour waiting period before the procedure can be performed. Additionally, minors seeking abortions must obtain parental consent or go through a judicial bypass process. Ohio also has various regulations on abortion clinics and providers, such as requiring them to have transfer agreements with nearby hospitals. These restrictions have resulted in the closure of several clinics in the state.

At any moment, it can become illegal to get an abortion in Ohio after 6 weeks, when most pregnant people don’t even know they are pregnant.

Do Ohioans Support Abortion?

Who is getting an abortion?

A common misconception is that abortions are mostly used as a form of birth control by young, unmarried women. More than half of the women who get abortions report using contraception. We also know that the majority of abortions performed in the U.S. are on women who are already mothers. In fact, concern for their children is a motivating factor, with nearly half of the women reporting that providing for the children they already have is their reason for seeking an abortion. 75% of women who get abortions live at or below the federal poverty level.

Despite what extremists want you to believe, almost all abortions occur within the first trimester, and the majority of those happen shortly after someone discovers they are pregnant. Only 1% of abortions are performed after 20 weeks and those are almost exclusively due to fetal abnormalities that are not consistent with life, or to save the life of the mother. Abortions performed later in pregnancy are often women who want to be mothers but discover their fetus will not be able to live outside the womb.

Approximately 1 in 4 women will have an abortion in their lifetime, which means you probably know and love someone who has had one.

Is abortion the same thing as a miscarriage?

Approximately 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage, which is the natural loss of a pregnancy. Miscarriage is also called a spontaneous abortion. After a miscarriage, medical treatment may include surgical or medical interventions to save the life of the mother. These include a Dilation and Curettage (D&C) or the use of the drugs mifepristone and misoprostol.

D&C, mifepristone and misoprostol are also the surgical and medical options for abortions. Because the same procedures are used for both abortions and miscarriage treatment, many women and doctors are now calling attention to the fact that the healthcare procedures are the same, and that new abortion restrictions may have harmful consequences on women experiencing miscarriage.