The Center for Reproductive Rights hails the Supreme Court’s unanimous recognition of its precedent that abortion laws must protect women’s health and safety. The case, Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, began as a challenge to a New Hampshire law that prevents doctors from performing an abortion for a teenager under the age of 18 until 48 hours after a parent has been notified. The law was struck down by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit because it did not contain an exception from the parental notification requirement to allow a teenager to obtain the abortion in a medical emergency that threatened her health. Nancy Northup, President of the Center for Reproductive Rights, issued this statement in response to the Court’s decision:

"Today’s unanimous Supreme Court opinion was brief and to the point: the government may not restrict access to abortions that are necessary to preserve a woman’s health. If politicians would stop trying to undermine our Constitutional protections for women’s health, the Supreme Court would not have to reiterate this basic principle again and again.

"New Hampshire lawmakers blatantly disregarded this principle by enacting this legislation and callously jeopardized young women’s health and lives by omitting a medical emergency exception in the law.

"We believe the lower court will recognize that the omission was intentional and strike down the law entirely."