This year will mark the 47th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the terrible Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) decision. 

Over the years, it often feels like the most controversial decision by the SCOTUS becomes more and more distorted, especially in the pro-abortion world. A recent CBS report even stated that some politicians are contemplating trying to block states from passing any legislation that challenges Roe, which is both unconstitutional and ridiculous.

Here are some of the biggest and most influential Roe myths:

1. That everyone agrees with it.

This is mostly false. According to the latest Gallup poll, while a 60% of Americans support Roe, about 33% want to see the decision overturned and 7% have no opinion. That may not representant a majority of Americans, but a third of the country still want it overturned. The poll also showed that younger Americans are increasingly turning against Roe. It’s reported that 37% of those that want to overturn Roe are ages 18 to 24, in comparison to the 31% of those ages 35 to 54 and 65 and older that want the same. For those that support Roe, only 55% of people 18 to 24 support it, while 64% of those 65 and older support the measure.

2. That it was a good decision.

While abortion is definitely a moral evil, the Roe decision is actually just plain bad. The biggest problem is that it dictates that abortion must be legal until the point of viability, but what is the point of viability? Is it 21 weeks? Is it 24 weeks? At this point in time, viability is a moving target. Yes, babies born after 24 weeks, the current viability mark, have a much higher rate of survival than those born at 21-22 weeks, but it is possible for babies to survive being born at such an early stage with the correct medical intervention. 

A story that I’ve always found interesting is the one about the baby born at 21 weeks 4 days gestation. She only survived because the physician asked her mother if she was willing to try and save her. If not, the child would’ve died. The mother said yes, and her child is now thriving. People can agree to disagree about Roe, but the “viability” portion is a soft target that’s open to interpretation and not a hard target.

3. That women are safer with legalized abortion.

Oftentimes, pro-abortion activists argue that the practice must remain legal because if not women would be “in danger.” That’s simply not true. Abortion itself is quite a dangerous procedure, and complications can include hemorrhage, incomplete abortion, infection and, in some extreme cases, death. There are also a variety of emotional complications like depression and anxiety. In a recent interview, three former Planned Parenthood employees explained medical practices that would get most other medical facilities shut down in a heartbeat. Some of those include nonmedically trained staff members doing things like injections and ultrasounds, including transvaginal. At times, instruments were also not sterilized properly. Does that sound safe? 

4. That Roe is both untouchable and challenging it is unconstitutional.

This is just simply not true. Roe v. Wade is a SCOTUS ruling, which means that it is always subject to being overturned in the courts. It’s not enshrined or set in stone, nor should it be. Cases should continually challenge its veracity because the ruling itself was deeply flawed, and it would make more sense for abortion legislation to reside in the states and not the federal government. 

There are many myths about Roe v. Wade, but perhaps the biggest misconception is that the decision causes no harm, but women who have experienced abortion know the truth. The procedure is not “simple,” but one filled with pain, physical and emotional, and heartbreak. Even clinic employees, who are often forced to work shifts in excess of 12 hours, often deal with substance abuse during and after work hours. It could easily be said that Roe is one of the most dangerous rulings from SCOTUS.

Prayerfully, at some point, Roe will be overturned and the decision about abortion will return to the states.