Hours after the US Supreme Court reversed the Roe vs Wade ruling; several clinics across the country started to shut shop. The ruling nullified women’s constitutional right to abortion. In Arkansas state, where a so-called ‘trigger’ law is in place that automatically bans abortion services if Roe is overturned; an abortion clinic in Little Rock disallowed patients from entering as soon as the court’s opinion was posted online.
While the staff was calling women to cancel their appointments, the anti-abortion activists celebrated outside the clinic. “No matter how hard we prepare for bad news when it finally hits, it hits hard. Having to call these patients and tell them Roe v Wade was overturned is heartbreaking,” said the nurse Ashli Hunt.
Status of Abortion in different states
In New Orleans, Louisiana which is another trigger law state, the Women’s Health Care Centre, one of only three abortion providers in the state, was closed and its staff had gone home. Apart from Louisiana and Arkansas, other trigger law countries where abortion has been banned with immediate effect are Kentucky, South Dakota, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Alabama. Moreover, In states like Mississippi and North Dakota; the bans will come into effect after the decision is approved by their attorney generals. Furthermore, Wyoming’s ban will take effect in five days, while Utah’s ban must be certified by a legislative council.
Amid the pall of gloom, several experts noted that the SC ruling could pave the wave for illegal procedures. This is because the well-off women would still be able to access abortions in other states while the poor women would be dependent on illegal clinics.
