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12 Ways Life Was Different Before Roe v. Wade

If our future will be a repeat of our history, what can we expect?

12 Ways Life Was Different Before Roe v. Wade

May 04, 2022

Okay, we have to admit this article title is a little deceptive… we are only covering 11 ways life was different before the 1973 Roe v. Wade landmark case that legalized abortion in the United States. One point we’ll cover is a similarity to today: people were still having abortions regularly. That hasn't changed. Accessibility to safe abortions will always be within the reach of the rich and well-connected. Legalization only affects whether safe abortion is within reach of marginalized communities, because, you know, we really need more challenges.

Regardless of what you think about the medical procedure of abortion, the Supreme Court’s likely upcoming vote to overturn Roe v. Wade will have resounding consequences, most directly affecting people of color and people living in poverty. So, if our future will be a repeat of our history, what can we expect? What was life like before the court case we all know by name?

12

Let's actually start with a similarity...

LIFE BEFORE ROE V. WADE CRACKED Abortions were still common Before Roe v. Wade, illegal abortions in the U.S. during the 1950s and 1960s were estimated to be at about 200,000 to 1.2 million per year. Of course, we can't know the true figure, but the legality of abortions doesn't necessarily equal more abortions. — Source: Guttmacher Institute

11

There were underground abortion networks.

LIFE BEFORE ROE V. WADE CRACKED There were underground abortion networks. For example, in Chicago during the 60s and 70s, an underground group of 100+ people called Abortion Counseling Service of Women's Liberation (or Jane for short) helped 10,000s of people get abortions. — Source: VICE

10

Abortions didn't use the best or safest technology.

LIFE BEFORE ROE V. WADE CRACKED Abortions didn't use the best or safest technology. Past illegal abortions could be dead as people didn't have access to the sterile instruments and medical professionals of abortion clinics. Understandably, people who had complications from illegal abortions were scared to go to hospitals and face legal repercussions. — Source: ABC News

9

The most common abortion method was self-induction.

LIFE BEFORE ROE V. WADE CRACKED The most common method was self-induction. You've probably heard the horror stories the dangerous ways people attempted to perform an abortion themselves. — Source: NPR

8

Abortion could be deadly for women.

LIFE BEFORE ROE V. WADE CRACKED Abortion could be deadly for women. In 1965, without access to safe abortions, reported illegal abortions accounted for 17% of all deaths related to pregnancy and childbirth that year. — Source: Guttmacher Institute

7

Abortion was more deadly for people of color.

LIFE BEFORE ROE V. WADE CRACKED Abortion was more deadly for people of color. In New York City during the 1960s, 1 in 4 childbirth-related deaths among white women was because of abortion. Compare that to 1 in 2 childbirth-related deaths among nonwhite and Puerto Rican women. — Source: Guttmacher Institute

6

People living in poverty were more negatively affected.

LIFE BEFORE ROE V. WADE CRACKED People living in poverty were more negatively affected. In one study of NYC women in the 1960s, 8% of women had attempted an illegal abortion. Of the low-income women that had an abortion, only 2% had a physician involved in any way. — Source: Guttmacher Institute

5

Affluent people traveled long distances to get an abortion.

LIFE BEFORE ROE V. WADE CRACKED People traveled long distances to get an abortion. A few years before Roe v. Wade, New York allowed abortion. Over 100,00 people (who could afford the procedure, travel, and lodging) left their state to get an abortion in NYC, even though they wouldn't be able to have follow-up appointments and risked health issues in traveling after a surgical procedure. — Source: Guttmacher Institute

4

Medical professionals risked practices and jail time.

LIFE BEFORE ROE V. WADE CRACKED Medical professionals risked practices and jail time. Some physicians were abusive or did it for financial gain, but some performed abortions out of a sense of conscience. Abortions cost at least $500 a procedure ($3,600 in today's money), not including additional travel costs which made them even more inaccessible to poor people. — Source: The Lily and Res Sociol Health Care

3

People who had unwanted pregnancies were more likely to live in poverty and stay with an abusive partner.

LIFE BEFORE ROE V. WADE CRACKED People were more likely to live in poverty and stay with an abusive partner. The first long-term study about being turned away from a wanted abortion didn't happen until 2007. The main takeaways were: People with unwanted pregnancies were 4x more likely to live below the poverty level and 3x more likely to be unemployed. People were also more likely to stay in contact with an abusive partner, putting them and their children at greater risk. (We assume this would have been historically applicable.) — Source: The Turnaway Study

2

People had abortions later in their pregnancies.

LIFE BEFORE ROE V. WADE CRACKED People had abortions later in their pregnancy. Later term abortions mean a higher risk for the pregnant person. In 1970, first trimester abortions only accounted for 20% of abortions compared to 56% in 1998. — Source: Guttmacher Institute

1

The crime rate was higher.

LIFE BEFORE ROE V. WADE CRACKED The crime rate was higher. In an extremely controversial paper, John Donohue and Steven Levitt present evidence that legalized abortion has contributed to the drop in crime rate in the United States. — Source: American Law and Economics Review

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