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Roe v Wade: How abortion became central to US politics

Fifty years ago, Jane Roe become the centre of a ruling that would fuel US politics for decades to come. The Roe v Wade court case gave women the constitutional right to abortion, until 2022 when it was overturned by the US Supreme Court.

For The Explanation on the Â鶹Éç World Service, Claire Graham speaks with Katty Kay about the 1973 legal case, the legacy of that ruling, and how abortion became such a central issue in contemporary American politics.

Listen now on Â鶹Éç Sounds.

Image: Pro-life demonstrators (R) confront pro-choice counterparts (L) 23 January 2006 in Washington (Credit: Getty Images)

Release date:

Duration:

2 minutes