Despite Supreme Court Ruling, Abortion Remains Legal In DC, MD, and VA

With its ruling today, the U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, dismantling the constitutional right to abortion that has stood for nearly 50 years. Roe is overturned at a time when 26 states are poised to ban abortion which will leave 36 million people who can become pregnant without access to care in their home state. Despite the Court’s failure to defend this fundamental freedom, abortion is still legal in DC, Maryland, and Virginia and Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, DC is committed to providing care to all who come to us in need.

“We are outraged! Personal medical decisions about people’s sexual and reproductive health should be made by patients, and patients alone. Politicians and judges should never be making personal medical decisions about other people’s bodies,” said Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, DC President & CEO Dr. Laura Meyers. “People need control of their own bodies, lives, and futures; no matter where they live. PPMW will never back down and stands rock solid in our commitment to provide equitable access to abortion care.”

“Today’s ruling will most impact Black and Brown women, trans and nonbinary folks, people earning low incomes, and people who live in rural communities, where health care can be extremely hard to access,” said Meyers.

“Residents of the District of Columbia face a unique peril so long as DC continues to not be a state,” said Meyers. “Not only do DC residents have no voting representation in Congress, but anti-reproductive healthcare Congressmembers — who do not represent Washingtonians — can and do deny Washingtonians access to abortion care by controlling DC’s budget and having the ability to impose laws on DC that do not represent our pro-healthcare values.”

PPMW has already seen an increase in patients calling from other states, including Texas, seeking abortion at our health centers in DC, Prince George’s and Montgomery counties.

We are prepared to see a bigger increase as more bans are enacted. As the oldest and largest provider of reproductive health services in the area, we will welcome patients with open arms and will continue to provide care — no matter what.

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PPMW’s mission is to provide high quality, affordable reproductive health care; promote education programs that empower all individuals to make informed and responsible reproductive choices; and to protect the right to make those choices. PPMW is the oldest and largest provider of family planning services in Metropolitan Washington, serving DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia.