Reproductive Rights

Reproductive rights refer to the ability of an individual to make their own decisions about their sexual and reproductive health. In the U.S., this issue is often centered around access to contraception and safe abortions. It also includes other aspects of family planning, such as the freedom to choose whether and when to have children and education about reproductive health and sexuality, which enables people to make informed decisions. The United Nations considers women’s sexual and reproductive health a human right, and thus women are entitled to access to related services without discrimination or economic constraints by the State. 

Reproductive rights are often a controversial matter, especially in regard to contraception and abortion. Some believe that abortion violates the rights of the fetus and that it is morally wrong to use artificial means to prevent the conception of a child. This viewpoint is typically called “pro-life.” The landmark Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade, which protects a person’s liberty to have an abortion, argued that the freedom to choose contraception and abortion is based on the right to privacy, which also includes the right to bodily autonomy, meaning an individual has the right to self-determination over their own body. A “pro-choice” viewpoint sees reproductive agency as a matter of personal autonomy and a fundamental human right. Reproductive rights can be preserved by providing access to reproductive healthcare, as well as unbiased education about sexual health. Politically, this may come in the form of insurance coverage for abortion providers and contraception, protection against pregnancy discrimination, or removing restrictions, such as early deadlines, on abortion. 

In Massachusetts, the ACCESS bill was passed in 2017 to protect affordable contraception access. This legislation ensured health insurance coverage of reproductive health services in the face of federal rollbacks.

There were 47 facilities in Massachusetts that provided abortion services as of 2017. Also in 2017, 89% of counties in the U.S. overall did not have an abortion provider, meaning a significant number of those seeking an abortion would need to travel for this service. In contrast, more than half of counties in Massachusetts have an abortion provider (43% of Massachusetts counties do not). In the state of Massachusetts, the consent of a parent is required for a minor to have an abortion. In addition, abortions beyond the 24 week mark can only take place if the mother’s life is endangered. 

The future of reproductive rights in the United States may be heavily dependent on the positions of new Supreme Court Justice appointees, as landmark reproductive rights cases are often deliberated by these figures. Some seek a decision to overturn Roe v. Wade’s verdict. Legislation regarding reproductive healthcare is more regularly written and debated at the level of state governments. Thus, in Massachusetts, the status of reproductive rights will depend on elected members of the state government (governor, state senators, and representatives) and will be subject to decisions made by its courts.