53 Years After Roe v. Wade, Black Women in the South Still Suffer the Most Without It

Fifty-three years have passed since the Supreme Court made its 1973 decision on Roe v. Wade. The historic ruling promised hope that women would have full autonomy over their bodies and the right to an abortion. Now, this dream is one deferred, and Black women are stuck living in the reality of its nightmare — especially in states below the Mason-Dixon Line.

The court’s ruling didn’t even reach the 50-year mark before being overturned in the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision. Then, experts warned that the court’s controversial ruling would disproportionately impact Black women, who have historically faced reproductive barriers. It seems their voices have yet to be heard.

Black women disproportionately accounted for abortion procedures before the overturning of Roe v. Wade, according to Pew Research. Now, without the protections of Roe, Black women still have the highest levels of abortions in the U.S.

Experts point to systemic factors like the cost of and access to preventative care — birth control, education, contraceptives, etc. — as the reason why so many Black people were left defenseless without Roe v. Wade. When the Supreme Court decided to undo its ruling, lawmakers never addressed fundamental issues causing high abortion rates.

Instead, Americans saw national abortion bans, particularly in southern states, where most Black people live.

It’s no secret that abortion laws in the southern states are restricter now than under Roe v. Wade. In fact, many states like Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas have all issued near-total abortion bans. Lawmakers even criminalized pregnant people traveling to pro-choice states for abortion care.

Without Roe v. Wade, pregnant people are forced to travel hours for care, endure dangerous delays and even carry on with life-threatening pregnancies in accordance with the Supreme Court’s decision. Since abortion bans began in 2022, pregnancy-related deaths largely increased for Black women in anti-abortion states, according to the 19th News.

President Donald Trump has only furthered the anti-abortion movement through his repealing of reproductive health care access measures for veterans, cutting roughly $1 billion from Medicaid and “defunding” Planned Parenthood, we previously told you.

In states like Georgia, a six-week limit on abortion procedures was issued, which has caused national outrage after several Black women were forced to endure the unthinkable during their pregnancies.

One of those woman, Adriana Smith made national news in April 2025 when Georgia kept her on life support until she could give birth. Smith was nine weeks pregnant when she began having severe headaches, we previously reported. After going to a hospital, she received treatment and was sent home. The next day, Smith was declared brain dead.

Because of Georgia House Bill 481— AKA the state’s 2019 anti-abortion bill– Smith couldn’t be taken off of life support until her son was born, who is still fighting for his life, we also told you.

The abortion issue in southern states has sparked widespread protests and calls from local leaders to better support Black women. Former Georgia state senator and current gubernatorial candidate Jason Esteves emphasized the importance of fighting for reproductive rights even after Roe’s reversal.

“As we commemorate the anniversary of Roe v. Wade today, millions of women across Georgia are living under a deadly abortion ban,” he wrote in a statement to The Root. Esteves pointed to former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, who left the Republican Party in 2025, and other conservatives who championed the abortion ban responsible for targeting at-risk pregnant people.

The Democrat added the ban “has killed multiple Black women, gutted reproductive healthcare, and outlawed the fundamental right for Georgia women to make their own medical decisions. It’s unacceptable.”