Abortion in America: Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt The purpose of this paper is to illustrate significant events that have aided in the evolution and adoption of abortion laws established in the United States. Despite the lengthy history of abortion laws and healthcare policies in our country, the subject remains to be a relevant debate topic in circulation today that deeply divides societal interests among pro-life or pro-choice activists. Most recently, the Supreme Court ruled on the Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt case that notably sparked one of the largest anti-abortion demonstrations in history. The hearing was held in response to the Texas House Bill 2 (HB2) signed into law in 2013, that led to the systematic closing of abortion …show more content…
Wade In 1973, in Roe v. Wade the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a woman’s right to privacy, legalizing pregnancy termination via abortion “performed under circumstances that insure maximum safety for the patient” (Roe v. Wade, 1973). The final ruling set a legal precedent that had a ripple effect on succeeding Supreme Court hearings involving restrictions on access to abortion, including Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt. Roe acknowledged that a woman’s right of choice regarding her pregnancy warrants the “highest level of constitutional protection” and that woman should not be burdened when seeking abortions (“Planned Parenthood”, 2014). In Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, claims that illustrated HB2 successfully impaired women’s access to clinics, inflicting undue burden, was considered in the ruling. Harris v. McRae In 1965, the Medicaid program was established to provide federal financial assistance to states that opt to reimburse medical costs for low-income individuals and families. After abortion was legalized in 1973, the Hyde Amendment of 1976 prohibited the use of federal funding to cover medical fees for abortions under the Medicaid …show more content…
Webster vs. Reproductive Health Services marks the first time the Supreme Court did not explicitly reaffirm Roe vs. Wade. This case is important to Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt in that it Planned Parenthood v. Casey In 1992 the Supreme Court reexamined the subject of abortion in the Planned Parenthood V. Casey case. Though, abortion was still legal after Roe v. Wade and states were no longer permitted to inhibit a woman’s right to have an abortion, each state was permitted to place certain limitations on abortion clinics, as long as such restrictions could not enforce “a substantial obstacle in the path of a woman seeking an abortion..” creating an undue burden (505 U.S.C. § 833). State abortion restrictions on clinical operations included the mandate of a 24- hour waiting period and parental-consent laws. Partial –Birth Abortion Decisions The Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 federally banned late-term abortion procedures. The Supreme Court challenged the partial-birth abortion procedure referred to as “dilation and extraction”, calling it inhumane and unnecessary to preserve the life of the