What ruling did Roe v. Wade make?

The ruling in Roe v. Wade established that a woman's right to an abortion is protected by her right to privacy under the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. This landmark decision, delivered in 1973 by the Supreme Court, recognized that the decision to terminate a pregnancy is part of a woman's personal privacy rights. The Court concluded that while this right is not absolute and can be regulated, especially as the pregnancy progresses, the fundamental right to choose to have an abortion was fundamental to a woman's autonomy and decision-making processes regarding her own body.

This legal precedent set the stage for future abortion laws and discussions about women's rights in the United States, making it clear that states cannot impose a total ban on abortions before fetal viability. Roe v. Wade thus plays a crucial role in the ongoing debate about reproductive rights and the legal landscape surrounding abortion access.