This Friday, US President Joe Biden will sign an executive order aimed at increasing access to contraception, the White House announced. A strong gesture which comes a year after the Supreme Court of the United States annulled the constitutional right to abortion.
Last year, the Supreme Court decided to overturn the landmark 1973 decision Roe v. Wade which guaranteed a constitutional right to abortion and left each state the right to decide. On the same day, several conservative states banned abortion, forcing clinics to hastily close or relocate to areas where they could still operate.
“The right to choose is fundamental”
This Friday’s executive order will guarantee access to all contraceptives approved by the federal drug agency. However, this access is reserved for women with private health insurance under the “Obamacare” law. “President Biden and Vice President Harris join the majority of Americans who believe the right to choose is fundamental and who have raised their voices at every opportunity since the Supreme Court ruling,” it said. added.
About 20 states, mostly in the South and Midwest, have banned abortion or severely restricted access while others, mostly on the coasts, have taken steps to protect it. “Last year, women were denied essential medical care to preserve their health and even save their lives,” a White House statement said.
According to a study by the Society of Family Planning, the average number of monthly abortions nationwide between July 2022 and March 2023 was 79,031. This is 3.3% less than in April and May 2022, when an average of 81,730 abortions per month were performed.