If the supreme court reverses the federal right to abortion, some Americans will no longer have access to the procedure. Five women speak of their experience in pre-Roe v Wade era
Roe v Wade, the landmark US supreme court decision that has given Americans abortion rights since 22 January 1973, was set to turn 50 next year. This June, as the supreme court approaches summer recess, it looks likely to release a decision that means the critical precedent will never reach its landmark birthday.
With the regulation of abortion returned to individual states, a large swath of the midwest and south – about 20 states housing half of the country’s population – will no longer have access to legal abortion.
Trudy Hale, 73, writer, Norwood, Virginia
Abortion: 1967, aged 18, Memphis, Tennessee
Sarah B Thompson, 68, retired school librarian, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Abortion: 1971, aged 17, New York
