The Supreme Court's decision yesterday to uphold the so-called 'Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act', passed by the republican Congress in 2003, casts into stark relief the simple fact that New York City is the nation's central hub for providing safe and legal abortions.

The federal law bans a procedure used in a limited number of midterm abortions, but the court's decision will probably have an immediate effect on U.S. politics and lawmaking.

And...

"It is just a matter of time before the infamous Roe v. Wade . . . will also be struck down by the court," predicted Roberta Combs, president of the Christian Coalition of America.

"The impact of Sandra Day O'Connor's retirement is painfully clear," said Nancy Northrup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, adding: "It took just a year for this new court to overturn three decades of established constitutional law."

The critical concern now is that the definition of 'legal' has been overturned, and it will have a direct local impact on physicians and patients in this City. Read on.

From New York Magazine's seminal piece on New York City's abortion infrastructure:

In 1970, New York passed the most permissive abortion law in America, one that defined the state as the country’s abortion refuge. Overnight, a new industry materialized in New York City, promoting itself to women across the country. The pitches were often blunt. A newspaper ad from the time inquired, “Want to be un-pregnant?”

Thirty-five years later, New York has the highest abortion rate in America. In 2000, the last year for which good data are available, 39 out of every 1,000 women in the state ended a pregnancy, for a total of 164,000 abortions that year. In America, one of every ten abortions occurs in New York, and in New York, seven of every ten abortions are performed in New York City. In absolute terms, there are more abortions performed on minors, more repeat abortions, and more late abortions (over 21 weeks) in New York City than anywhere else in the country. In parts of the city, the ratio of abortions to births is one to one. [...]

If Roe were overturned, of course, New York would instantly become an abortion destination for thousands of women who find themselves living in states that voted to outlaw the procedure. This has happened before, and it has had dramatic social and political consequences that we could well see again.

We're already seeing the fallout: Planned Parenthood of New York City has edited their web site to read:

As you may have seen on TV or read in the papers, the Supreme Court has upheld a law that may in the future affect a small number of the abortions we provide. While Planned Parenthood is extremely disappointed by this decision, we want you to know that:

● This does not affect your currently scheduled abortion.

● It is still safe and legal for you to have an abortion.

● Our health services, including abortion, are continuing without interruption.

●You are at no medical or legal risk in making the decision to have an abortion.

Planned Parenthood will continue to stand up to protect and increase your access to safe, legal reproductive health care services, including abortion. Check this website for further updates.

Just in case someone still thinks the right is merely kidding when it says it wants abortion outlawed: no, they're not. And the consequences of that widely announced goal are now being felt right in your own neighborhood.