The conversation started as leaked documents went public from the Supreme Court Monday night.

“The constitutional right for abortion in this country would end if that opinion as is were to go into effect by the court,” said Sydney Etheredge, the Planned Parenthood of Western PA CEO.

While Chief Justice John Roberts confirms the documents are real, no official decision was made to overrule Roe v. Wade. However, that has not stopped organizations from considering what may happen if it is.

“What that means is the decision would come back to the states so we would see 26 states banning abortion across the country,” Etheredge said.

While Pennsylvania is not one of them, Ohio and West Virginia are included in that list. Etheredge told Channel 11 Pittsburgh would then see an influx of patients from those states traveling to use our services since it will be illegal in their home states.

“We’ve been working together with our colleagues in other states to really think about how we can support those patients because that is our number one thing is making sure people that need access to the service know that they can come here,” Etheredge said.

Nearly 50 years have passed since Roe v. Wade, and Etheredge said a decision to overturn it will have a huge societal impact on women across the country as when you have children impacts jobs and education.

“When we make a decision like this it will have a ripple effect on so many different aspects of society, different things for people who reproduce are facing and that it can lead to a slippery slope for other rights as well,” Etheredge said.

Planned Parenthood’s goal now is to speak out and get the community together ahead of an official Supreme Court decision.

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