egal, appear to be as low as or lower than rates for normal childbirth." Blackmun ended that the state should have a responsibility to ensure that abortions be performed safely, to protect the women patients. He argued that there was no medical reason for prohibiting abortions in the early stages of pregnancy.Since the Roe decision the Supreme Court has heard more than a dozen cases involving attempts by the states or the national government to restrict abortion. In deciding these cases, the Court has modified its decision in Roe v. Wade by allowing states to regulate abortion in many additional ways. The Court has always maintained that at least in the first trimester a woman has a right to choose whether or not to continue a pregnancy. The Court has allowed some states to impose restrictions that make an abortion difficult to obtain, particularly for low-income women and teenagers. The Court has also upheld state laws requiring that pregnant girls under the age of 18 must notify at least one parent before obtaining an abortion....
