What controversies surround U.S. abortion rights?
Roe v. Wade was the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in America. Initial controversies focused on whether abortion should be legal. Today, the controversies have expanded to include: • “Partial birth” abortion, or late-term abortions, which were outlawed by President Bush in November 2003. Lawsuits filed by Planned Parenthood Federation of America and other organizations consider the law unconstitutional because it does not include an exception for health-related issues. • RU-486, or a drug first used in Europe to cause a medical abortion. Click here to learn more about RU-486. • Emergency contraception, or “morning after” pills that reduce the chance of unintended pregnancy when taken within three days of unprotected sex or contraceptive failure. • Parental consent and notification, or laws (which vary by state) that require physicians to either obtain consent from or notify the parents of a minor considering abortion. • “Unborn victims of violence,” or laws th
