The Reality of Abortions Before Roe v. Wade

We spoke with two women who had abortions in the early 1970s, before Roe v. Wade — which established the constitutional right to an abortion — went into effect. The landmark decision has been the law of the land for decades, but that could all change with SCOTUS’ official decision on whether to overturn it. Data shows that denying women access to legal abortion doesn’t prevent abortions — but it does increase the likelihood that a pregnancy will end in an unsafe way. Stories like Teresa’s and Deborah’s remind us what that time was like for many women and the impact the ruling could have on women’s lives today.