NB: This story has been updated on 25 June 2022 to reflect that the US Supreme Court has voted 6-3 to overturn Roe v Wade. 

The overturning of Roe v Wade is a sad day for tens of millions of American women.

Family Planning chief executive Jackie Edmond says the decision means there is  no constitutional right to abortion services, a decision that would allow individual states to either more heavily regulate abortion or to ban it outright.

“We know that abortion bans don’t reduce the number of abortions, they simply reduce the number of safe abortions,” Ms Edmond says.

“This decision by the court means that women and pregnant people will die trying to end their pregnancies. This is an issue of equity. Women of means will access services but it will impact women inequitably and access to abortion will depend on where you live.”

Ms Edmond says there’s also likely to be a global effect too with other countries and territories emboldened to act to further limit access to sexual and reproductive health services, including abortion.

“We stand with our colleagues at Planned Parenthood and other providers in the United States who are delivering health care services in the most difficult of circumstances. Health care shouldn’t be a political issue, nor should access to health care depend on where you live. This is a sad day.”