Roe vs Wade overturned: Abortion clinics in US shut shop within hours of SC ruling

Hours after the US Supreme Court reversed the Roe vs Wade ruling and nullified women’s constitutional right to abortion, several clinics across the country started to shut shop.

In Arkansas state— where a so-called 'trigger' law is in place that automatically bans abortion services if Roe is overturned—an abortion clinic in Little Rock disallowed patients from entering as soon as the court's opinion was posted online.

While the staff were calling women to cancel their appointments, the anti-abortion activists celebrated outside the clinic.

"No matter how hard we prepare for bad news, when it finally hits, it hits hard. Having to call these patients and tell them Roe v Wade was overturned is heartbreaking," nurse Ashli Hunt told the BBC.

In New Orleans, Louisiana— another trigger law state—the Women's Health Care Centre, one of only three abortion providers in the state, was closed and its staff had gone home.

Watch |Gravitas: US Supreme Court strikes down abortion rights: The Implications

Apart from Louisiana and Arkansas, other trigger law countries where abortion has been banned with immediate effect are: Kentucky, South Dakota, Missouri, Oklahoma and Alabama.

In states like Mississippi and North Dakota, bans will come into effect after their attorney generals approve it.

Wyoming's ban will take effect in five days, while Utah's ban must be certified by a legislative council.

In Idaho, Tennessee and Texas, bans will be applied in 30 days.

Amid the pall of gloom, several experts noted that the SC ruling could pave the wave for illegal procedures as well-off women would still be able to access abortions in other states while the poor women would be dependent on illegal clinics.

(With inputs from agencies)

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