Here’s where things are at in the US on abortion. What is Roe v Wade? It’s the landmark Supreme Court decision that established a constitutional nationwide right to abortion in 1973. It allows American women the right to have an abortion within the first three months of pregnancy, or the first trimester. A 2018 file photo of supporters at a rally held by Planned Parenthood, commemorating the 45th anniversary of the landmark Roe vs. Wade ruling. AP 'Jane Roe' - a pseudonym - was an unmarried pregnant woman who filed a suit challenging Texas abortion laws. Henry Wade was the defending district attorney.