What issue was addressed by the Roe v. Wade decision?

The Roe v. Wade decision, issued by the Supreme Court in 1973, fundamentally addressed the issue of the legalization of abortion in the United States. This landmark case established a woman's legal right to seek an abortion under the right to privacy, which the Court interpreted as being protected by the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The ruling effectively invalidated many state laws that restricted access to abortion, asserting that the decision to terminate a pregnancy was a personal choice between a woman and her physician, particularly during the first trimester. Consequently, Roe v. Wade became a pivotal moment in the ongoing debate surrounding women's rights and reproductive health, influencing legal and social discussions for decades to come.