Several clinics around the nation began to close their doors hours after the US Supreme Court overturned the Roe vs Wade decision and invalidated women’s constitutional right to abortion.
An abortion clinic in Little Rock in Arkansas forbade clients from entering as soon as the court’s decision was published online because the state has a “trigger” law that forbids abortion services if Roe is overturned.
The anti-abortion activists partied outside the clinic as the staff called women to reschedule their appointments.
“Despite our best efforts to prepare, when bad news does arrive, it does so with great force. It is distressing to have to phone these patients and inform them that Roe v. Wade has been reversed “told the BBC, nurse Ashli Hunt.
One of only three abortion clinics in the state, the Women’s Health Care Centre in New Orleans, Louisiana—another state with a trigger law—was closed, and its personnel had left for the day.
Other trigger law nations that have outlawed abortion with immediate effect, in addition to Louisiana and Arkansas, include Kentucky, South Dakota, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Alabama.
Bans will go into effect after being approved by the attorney generals of states like North Dakota and Mississippi.
While Utah’s ban needs to be approved by a legislative council, Wyoming’s ban will go into force in five days.
Bans will take effect in Idaho, Tennessee, and Texas after 30 days.
Despite the gloom, a number of experts cautioned that the SC decision would open the door for illegal procedures because wealthy women would still be able to seek abortions in other states while impoverished women would be forced to rely on shady facilities.
