The United States Supreme Court is set to issue its ruling on the first major abortion case since 2007 on Monday. The ruling will determine whether a 2013 Texas law prevented women from exercising their constitutional right to an abortion.
The case is one of three that the court will decide on Monday, the final day of its term. The other major case will involve the ruling on whether to overturn the corruption conviction of Robert McDonnell, former governor of Virginia.
The Supreme Court hasn’t ruled on an abortion case in nine years when it ruled 5-4 to maintain a federal law that banned late-term abortions.
The abortion law in Texas requires doctors to have “admitting privileges” at a hospital that is within 30 miles of the clinic in order to perform an abortion. Clinics are also required to have expensive hospital-grade facilities.
Americans are closely divided on the issue of abortion and whether it should be legal. A poll from Reuters showed 47% of participants believe abortion should be legal, while 42% believe it should be illegal.
Abortion views have remained virtually unchanged over several decades, according to historical polling data.
Data also shows a decline in the number of abortions performed in the United States. In 2011, an estimated 1.1 million abortions were performed at a rate of 16.9 per 1,000 women. The rate peaked in 1981 with 29 abortions per 1,000 women.
