Planned Parenthood Stands with Women on the 40th Anniversary of Roe; Advocates for Continued Access to Safe and Legal Abortion

“To protect their health and the health of their families, women must have access to safe, legal abortion services without interference from politicians.” – Planned Parenthood of Maryland

Baltimore, MD—Today marks the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, and Planned Parenthood of Maryland stands with women across the country in reinforcing the importance of safe and legal abortion. Despite a woman’s constitutional right to make her own personal medical decisions without interference from politicians, access to safe and legal abortion is still at risk.

“As a leading women’s health care provider and advocate in Maryland,  Planned Parenthood of Maryland understands that abortion is a deeply personal and often complex decision for a woman to consider if and when she needs it,” said Jenny Black, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Maryland. “A woman should have accurate information about all her options around her pregnancy. To protect their health and the health of their families, women must have access to safe, legal abortion services without interference from politicians, as protected by the highest court.”

In 1965, illegal abortions made up nearly one-fifth of all pregnancy-and childbirth-related deaths. In the 40 years since Roe v. Wade blocked states from banning abortion, it has been one of the safest medical procedures — today, less than 0.3 percent of women undergoing legal abortions sustain a serious complication. Despite abortion being legal, constitutionally protected, and consistently supported by a majority of Americans, opponents of women’s health have made it increasingly harder for women to access it. In states such as Texas, South Dakota, Florida, and Michigan, some politicians have eroded access to safe and legal abortion through court battles, ballot measures, and burdensome legislative restrictions.
 

“A majority of Americans oppose efforts to overturn Roe v. Wade, and in November they voted to protect a woman’s ability to make her own personal medical decision without interference from politicians,” said Black. “Legislators who continue to interfere with a woman’s access to safe and legal abortion do so against the will of their constituents.”

• According to a 2012 Quinnipiac poll, 64 percent of American voters agree with the Roe v. Wade ruling, up from 60 percent in 2010.
• According to a post-election poll from the Pew Research Center, 64 percent of voters younger than 30 said that abortion should be legal in all or most cases.
• According to a Gallup poll of voters in 12 swing states, 39 percent of women cited abortion as the most important election issue for women. Women who cited abortion preferred Obama by a 3-1 margin. 
• According to research from the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, nearly three-quarters (74 percent) of Latino registered voters support a woman's ability to make personal, private decisions about abortion.
• According to a 2012 survey from the Public Religion Research Institute, two-thirds (67 percent) of African Americans believe that abortion should be legal in all or most cases.

For over 85 years, Planned Parenthood of Maryland has worked every day to reduce unintended pregnancy and keep women healthy. Planned Parenthood of Maryland provides health care that helps Maryland women prevent an estimated 2,103 abortions a year, and 5,009 unintended pregnancies every year. Planned Parenthood of Maryland is proud to protect access to health care for women across the country — taking action to ensure that women have access to care, no matter what.

The mission of Planned Parenthood of Maryland is to enable all Marylanders to have access to a wide range of high quality affordable reproductive health care services. By providing medical services, education, training and advocacy, PPM seeks to help individuals make informed decisions about their reproductive health, family planning options and sexuality.