The Supreme Court of the United States agreed this week to hear a case concerning the legality of a law in Mississippi that bans abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
This will be a landmark case in the pro-life debate, allowing the court to re-examine other abortion cases as far back as Roe v. Wade and their constitutional standing. Thus far in the appeals process, the lower courts have ruled to invalidate the Mississippi law, saying it violates the legal precedent set by Roe v. Wade stipulating states can regulate, rather than prohibit, abortion before the scientifically determined age of fetal viability.
As modern medicine continues to advance and our technology improves, the age of fetal viability becomes younger and younger. At the time of the Roe v. Wade ruling in 1973, fetal viability was considered to be reached sometime between the 24th and 28th week of pregnancy. Today, several preemies have been born at 21 weeks of pregnancy and survived–a medical miracle and proof that our definition of viability is constantly changing with continued research, technology, and treatment development.
This case will ultimately lead to the court determining the constitutionality of the infamous Roe v. Wade case itself, and could be a massive win for the pro-life community in America.
