The US Supreme Court building is seen in Washington, DC, on May 15, 2021. (Photo by Daniel SLIM / AFP)
The US Supreme Court agreed on Monday to hear a case that could pose a challenge to the landmark 1973 ruling legalising abortion nationwide.
The case, involving a Mississippi law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks, will be heard during the court’s Fall term.
It will be the first abortion case heard by the court since former president Donald Trump cemented a conservative majority on the nine-member court.
The 2018 Mississippi law prohibits abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy except in cases of a medical emergency or a severe featal abnormality.
The Supreme Court agreed to hear the case after it was struck down as unconstitutional by two lower courts.
Trump’s appointment of three justices locked in a 6-to-3 conservative majority on the court, and raised the possibility of overturning Roe v Wade, the 1973 ruling on abortion rights.
Abortion divides the American population, with strong opposition especially among evangelical Christians.
In recent years, several Republican-led states have sought to impose restrictive laws on abortion, forcing many clinics to close their doors.
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