Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court case that made abortion legal in 1973, marked its 31st anniversary two weeks ago. While younger women in the United States have never lived during a time when abortion was illegal, many activists feel recent social and political changes have left the landmark case in a vulnerable position.

“Unfortunately, a woman’s right to choose has never been more at risk than it is today. We are one Supreme Court Justice away from having Roe overturned,” said Lisa Boyce, vice president of public affairs with Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin.

In the 31 years since Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court has handed down four other major decisions affecting a woman’s right to choose. Three of these decisions have upheld restrictions on abortion, including limiting the federal funding that can be used for abortions, banning the use of public employees and facilities for performing abortions and creating a mandatory 24-hour waiting period accompanied with information about the procedure. In the fourth decision, handed down in 2000, the Supreme Court struck down a Nebraska ban on partial-birth abortion.

State legislatures have also repeatedly debated reproductive health and choice issues in recent years. According to the Center for Reproductive Rights, over 700 bills related to reproductive health and choice issues were introduced in state legislatures throughout the United States in 2003.

Margaret Seelen, a UW sophomore and member of St. Paul’s Students Defending Life, points out that while other issues decided upon by the Supreme Court tend to draw less attention as time goes on, the issues surrounding abortion and Roe v. Wade are still hotly contested and debated 31 years later.

“This is certainly not going away and we have to look at it and wonder why,” Seelen said.

St. Paul’s Students Defending Life is an anti-abortion student group on campus that works to “promote the sanctity of life from conception to natural death,” according to Seelen. She also said that she feels there has been an increase in anti-abortion support in recent years.

“From what I’ve seen, there’s been a gradual shift toward the pro-life side,” Seelen said.

While Boyce said public surveys on abortion indicate the public’s support for reproductive rights has remained stable, other pro-choice supporters feel there is a sense of apathy among the younger pro-choice generation.

“I definitely think we take it for granted. Women don’t understand that these rights can be taken away,” said UW medical student Nichole Mahnert, a member of Medical Students for Choice.

Fewer abortion providers in the United States

Mahnert, a second-year medical student at the University of Wisconsin, traveled to a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic over the summer and spent time observing a 65-year-old doctor who continues to provide abortions despite the fact that he has to wear a bullet-proof vest to work.

Spending time with the doctor, who began performing abortions after he saw a 13-year-old girl die from a botched abortion, solidified Mahnert’s resolve to provide abortions when she begins practicing medicine.

“A huge problem we’re facing right now is a lack of providers,” Mahnert said. “A majority of abortion providers are now in their 60s, and they practice because they witnessed the botched abortions firsthand.”

The number of abortion providers in the United States has fallen to its lowest level in three decades, according to the Alan Guttmacher Institute. A survey released by the institute in 2000 found that the number of abortion providers had fallen to 1,819, down 11 percent from the 2,042 abortion providers in 1996. The same survey also found that 87 percent of all U.S. counties lacked an abortion provider.

“A lot of members of [MSFC] are pro-choice and are willing to fight for abortion, but they aren’t necessarily willing to provide abortions,” said Mahnert.

Despite this national decline in the number of abortion providers, Planned Parenthood opened a new abortion clinic Jan. 8 in Madison. Dr. Dennis Christensen, the clinic’s primary physician, moved to the new location after the abortion clinic he was previously practicing at in Madison closed. Christensen has been providing abortion services for 31 years.

“I think students should know they are lucky that they have abortion services in Madison,” Christensen said.

Christensen said he thinks the harassment abortion providers receive and the tendency of new doctors to work for large healthcare organizations, where it is less likely abortions will be performed than in small practices, are some factors contributing to the fewer number of abortion providers.

And some doctors are simply not comfortable performing abortions. Dr. Brenda Jenkin, a UW associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, stopped practicing abortions because of the emotional impact.

“I don’t do them anymore because I can’t stand it. I found it very emotionally difficult. But I do understand that not everybody feels that way,” Jenkin said.

Jenkin also added that she doesn’t think the lower number of abortion providers is a bad thing. She said the doctors who perform abortions have become very specialized and skilled in their job.

“I think it actually means the people who provide them are more skilled. And this can be a good thing for the patient, because it’s not always a simple procedure,” Jenkin said.

In addition, Christensen noted that the number of abortion providers may be a reflection of need. He said there are half as many abortions performed in Wisconsin today than there were in 1990, meaning there are fewer doctors needed to perform the abortions.

Abortion training for medical residents

In addition to providing abortions, Christensen also provides abortion training for medical residents. He said obstetrics and gynecology residents are scheduled for an eight-week rotation in the abortion clinic, where they spend a half-day each week learning the procedures.

According to Doug Laube, chairperson of the UW department of obstetrics and gynecology, there is a distinct difference between medical students and residents that is important when discussing abortion training. He said medical students are still in the process of completing their four-year curriculum through the UW medical school and taking a series of exams that will allow them to progress to their four-year residency. Residents are those who have completed medical school and are working on completing their four-year residency in the field.

He said it is important to make this distinction because medical students do not receive abortion training or have abortion instruction included in their curriculum. Wisconsin has a state law prohibiting the use of state money for abortions.

Residents, however, are not technically affiliated with UW. Residents have the option of doing a rotation at an abortion clinic, but they can also opt out of the procedure if they find themselves in an ethical dilemma. Laube said approximately three-fourths of the residents from UW choose to work in the abortion clinic and learn the procedures, which he said he estimates is higher than other schools.

“There is no mandate that requires that they learn to do it. But there is a mandate that the choice be available,” Laube said.

According to a study by the Alan Guttmacher Institute, about one out of 10 obstetric and gynecology programs in the country currently requires abortion training.

Christensen said while he thinks there is still support for a woman’s right to a legal abortion, more can be done.

“I don’t think people feel less passionate about it, but there’s not as much activism,” Christensen said. “Hopefully we don’t have to make it illegal again to rekindle those fires.”