In the US, the pivotal legal case of Roe v Wade in 1973 legalised abortion, establishing that the decision to terminate a pregnancy was between a woman and her doctor, and was protected under the constitutional right to privacy. Since its inception, there have been over 1000 restrictive state laws to limit these rights afforded to women to make the process of acquiring an abortion more painful, challenging, and in some cases, impossible. There is no murkiness here – women have a right to have an abortion if they wish. Yet, in the US, a woman’s access to abortion is very much decided by where she lives alongside her financial resources and physical capacity.

This week, the US Supreme Court refused to hear the case against Arkansas, which is restricting the way medical abortions are conducted. Arkansas has determined that if a doctor prescribes tablets to induce abortion, they must have a contractual relationship with a hospital to manage complications. Whilst this may seem a method to ensure women’s safety, this enactment will effectively end medical terminations in the state, as there are no Arkansas obstetricians willing to accept hospital admissions. In Texas, complex, costly and unnecessary licensing regulations for abortion clinics have led to over half of all clinics providing these services to close down, leaving many women without safe access to abortion.

Every single one of these measures is designed to make access to abortion not only more complicated, but also more traumatic in order to make women think again about their reproductive choices. They also impact those women who have economic and family constraints which make travelling huge distances, taking time off work and securing childcare prohibitive. This leaves the most vulnerable women unable to access health services to which they are entitled.

The erosion of the legal right to abortion has taken greater significance since the election of President Trump. As a candidate, Donald Trump wrote a letter to pro-life supporters pledging to nominate pro-life judges to the Supreme Court to attempt an overturn of Roe v Wade, and committed to defunding Planned Parenthood which provides specialised family planning services across the US. Only last week, President Trump gave the keynote speech at the annual “Campaign for Life” gala urging supporters to vote for life. It is astonishing to see a president determined to use his power to strip back the hard won right that women have had since the 1970s.

Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Show all 20 1 /20 Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Women in Dublin celebrate the result of yesterday's referendum on abortion law Reuters Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum A woman in Dublin celebrates the result of yesterday's referendum Reuters Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Activists react at the count centre as votes are tallied folowing yesterday's referendum Reuters Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Co-Director of Together For Yes Ailbhe Smyth speaking to the media at the count in Dublin PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Yes voters react, as the results of the votes begin to come in PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Long time campaigner Annette Forde, from Drumcondra, at the count centre in Dublin's RDS as votes are counted PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Minister for Health Simon Harris (centre) with Fine Gael's Kate O'Connell and Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy (left) speaks to the media on arrival at the count centre PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Yes voters celebrate at the count centre in Dublin as official results for constituencies are announced PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Yes campaigners celebrate at the count in Dublin PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum A woman writes a message on a mural to Savita Halappanava, a woman who died of pregnancy complications AFP/Getty Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Activists react at the count centre as votes are tallied folowing yesterday's referendum Reuters Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald reacts with a member of the Yes campaign PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Yes campaigners celebrate at the count in Dublin PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Yes campaigners react, as the results of the votes begin to come in Reuters Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Senator David Norris at the count centre in Dublin as votes are counted PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum A woman sits in front of the Dublin mural of Savita Halappanavar, a woman who died of pregnancy complications PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Repeal supporters at Dublin's RDS await the start of the count last night PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Minister for Health Simon Harris is greeted by retired Supreme Court judge Catherine McGuinness at the count in Dublin PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Yes campaigners react, as the results of the votes begin to come in AP Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum A Yes voter poses with a badge as votes are counted AFP/Getty

In accordance with his pro-life platform, Trump is threatening to reform the Title X Family Planning programme which is the federal funding of affordable family planning healthcare, contraception and preventive services such as Planned Parenthood. Notably its clinics in the US are often the only source of care for young, immigrant, low income women since they operate in medically underserved areas. Crucially, it does not fund abortion services. Abortion care accounts for 3 per cent of Planned Parenthood services and cannot be paid for using Title X funding. The US abortion rate has declined 14 per cent between 2011-14 and in 2014 was at the lowest rate since abortion was legalised, attributed to education and contraception coverage provided by Planned Parenthood.

However, opponents of abortion attest that by allocating money to Planned Parenthood for the provision of other medical services allows other funds from philanthropic organisations to be reallocated for abortions. Removing Title X funding will not only significantly limit the ability of many marginalised women to access care related to their reproductive health but also severely restrict access to abortion services for women generally.

On both sides of the Atlantic, abortion continues to be a political and ideological issue. A week ago, we witnessed jubilant scenes across Ireland when the archaic laws governing abortion were repealed in a stunning 2:1 vote of almost all constituencies in the country. Women in Ireland now have the right to make their own healthcare decisions and no longer have to face the ignominious task of having to travel long distances to secure autonomy over their own bodies. Across the border, in Northern Ireland, abortion remains illegal and though polls have shown support for change, the delicate apple cart that is Brexit negotiations may complicate matters.

In the United States, abortion is legal, yet women are expected to navigate a maze of obstacles which may place an undue burden on their ability to exercise this right. There is a legitimate fear that women in more liberal states will continue to have access to abortion services but women in more rural and conservative states might have to travel long distances or consider unsafe or illegal means to end a pregnancy.

Ireland’s restrictive laws not only stigmatised abortion but also denied access to women with financial constraints who were unable to travel long distances. The country was able to reckon with its past and chose to safeguard women and their choices. Voters in Ireland have shown us that a pro-choice stance is not pro-abortion – it is actually something very different. It values autonomy for women, it acknowledges that those experiencing an unwanted pregnancy should not be subject to illegal and unsafe practices and that women have the right to make decisions about what happens to their bodies. It will be up to the people of the United States and Northern Ireland to lobby their legislators to be on the right side of history as they grapple with these issues and ensure an equally compassionate, thoughtful and considered way forward to protect women’s reproductive rights.