On Friday, June 24, 2022, shock and heartbreak swept the nation as Roe V. Wade was officially overturned by the U.S Supreme Court. Gone was the right to proper health care and resources like Planned Parenthood in certain states with abortion suddenly no longer considered a constitutional right under the 14th amendment.

 Abortion is now outlawed in many states even in cases of rape and incest. Fear is at an all-time high with doctors facing the risk of being charged if they perform these procedures in certain circumstances. Beyond that there is the issue of low income states having these bans and many people being unable to travel to get the care that they need.

According to the New York Times, abortion is currently fully illegal in Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas,  West Virginia, and Wisconsin. There is also a gestational limit placed in for other additional States at this time.

By stripping people of the freedom to choose their life path it can lead to more dangerous situations. People never know why someone may make the decision to have an abortion but should trust that they know what is best for them and their body.

According to the World Health Organization, unsafe abortion is a leading cause of maternal deaths, and can lead to physical and mental health decline. The WHO states that “each year, 4.7–13.2% of maternal deaths can be attributed to unsafe abortion.” With Roe v. Wade being overturned, these alarming statistics will only continue to rise. The decision to ban abortion is only going to lead to unsafe abortions that are performed at home and lead people to make even more dangerous decisions for themselves. The ban saves no one.

Many issues have also come to light with people having to carry out dangerous pregnancies in a number of situations which can lead to the death of the person carrying the child. Not only have women been receiving jail time in certain states for miscarrying under the mistaken impression that they attempted to have an abortion, but women who are experiencing an ectopic pregnancy or other complications have been forced to continue with the pregnancy which can result in death.

Even victims of sexual assault have been forced to continue with pregnancies which can be entirely triggering and difficult to live with. Women should not be persecuted even if they’re making the choice because they feel it is right for them at that moment in time. To force someone to carry out a pregnancy is cruel and inhumane. Any choice in how to proceed with a pregnancy is valid, but the decision needs to be available as a constitutional right.

Another concerning issue is the fact that there has been talks of banning birth control. Not only does birth control prevent the need for an abortion but it is also used for other medical conditions such as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and other conditions that affect hormonal balance. If this method of restriction were to happen, it not only strips people of the right to their own privacy when it comes to their health, but can cause or worsen many health issues and damage lives. It appears as though the people who want birth control to be banned ultimately wish to have control over women and other people who can carry children.

Other options are also rarely discussed such as the fact that men can get a vasectomy that is reversible, when it comes to the discussions that happened when making these decisions many involved would rather see the people with a uterus bend over backwards in order to follow these regulations and laws.

By banning abortion and limiting proper healthcare it is not only a war on women and people who can bear children, but it is a war on the working class. The first step to reinstating Roe V. Wade is to vote on November 8th and use your voice to make a difference in the issues that matter.