Opinion: After Roe: Three years of resistance, care and community

A demonstrator places a sign on the anti-scaling fence outside of the U.S. Supreme Court Thursday, May 5, 2022 in Washington. Alex Brandon / AP file
Published: 06-27-2025 4:18 PM |
Three years ago, most Americans assumed that the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade was the final checkmark on the anti-abortion movement’s to-do list. Overnight, federal protections for abortions evaporated, and states suddenly had the power to decide who could access abortion and under what circumstances.
But overturning Roe was just the beginning. The decision served as a catalyst to pass more restrictions on abortion and repeal safeguards for health centers providing abortion care. It also emboldened anti-abortion extremists to commit more violent acts – like the tragic killings that took place in Minnesota.
Support for abortion rights is the highest it’s been in history and 81% of Americans don’t want politicians involved in decisions about pregnancy. Anti-abortion groups know that pursuing a nationwide ban is politically toxic, but that hasn’t stopped them. They’re reversing federal protections through executive orders, like the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), criminalizing abortion providers and patients and hiding abortion bans in bills where they don’t belong.
Congress is currently considering a budget bill that includes a provision to ban patients insured by Medicaid from getting care at Planned Parenthood. Despite the claims to the contrary, the bill has nothing to do with fiscal responsibility – banning Planned Parenthood would cost taxpayers $300 million – and everything to do with the fact that Planned Parenthood provides abortion care.
If the measure passes and the Trump Administration withholds other funds we receive, Planned Parenthood of Northern New England would lose $5 million annually, or 42% of our patient revenue. These funds cover cancer screenings, birth control, wellness exams and so much more. We are a critical safety net provider in New England and without us, Granite Staters will suffer.
This attack highlights just how much more challenging it could be to access sexual and reproductive health care in New Hampshire. Already New Hampshire is the only state in New England without protections for abortion rights, and because of this, every year we see attempts to pass restrictions on sexual and reproductive health. This year has been no different, as we defeated a 15-week abortion ban and a ban on confidential birth control access for young people. We’re also looking at a state budget that drastically underfunds the New Hampshire family planning program, which helps individuals with low-incomes access birth control, STI testing, cancer screenings and other preventive care.
In only three years, we have heard countless stories of women being turned away from emergency rooms, medevacked to a “legal” state, losing their ability to become pregnant in the future and, in some cases, even losing their lives. It’s an injustice and could jeopardize the future of an entire generation. At Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, we are determined to do all we can to safeguard our patients’ health and rights.
We are expanding access to abortion. 94% of our health centers now offer abortion services, with a goal to reach 100% in the coming year. We’ve knocked down financial barriers by growing our abortion fund. Planned Parenthood of Northern New England provides practical support to patients traveling to us for care, including help with lodging, travel, childcare and more.
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We opened our doors wider and welcomed patients from across the country — people who should never have had to leave their home state. 10% of our abortion patients hail from another state including Texas, Florida, Georgia and other states where abortion is banned. Planned Parenthood of Northern New England has served patients from 36 states since the fall of Roe.
We’ve also seen firsthand the emotional toll this crisis has taken. Patients often arrive at our health centers exhausted and scared. But they leave with dignity, care and support — because we believe your access to care shouldn’t depend on your zip code.
The overturning of Roe may have been the green light for the anti-abortion movement. But it has also served as a spark for Planned Parenthood of Northern New England and our communities. When access to abortion is under attack, we become the shield. We stand between harmful policies and the people they’re designed to hurt. We show up — every day — to protect care, to protect patients and to protect the fundamental right to make personal decisions about our bodies and futures.
And we won’t give up until that freedom is guaranteed for all.
Nicole Clegg is the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England.