MEMPHIS, Tenn. — This weekend marks one year since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe V. Wade, returning the power to regulate abortion to the states.
Fourteen states, including Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas, have passed near bans on abortion in the time since. Twenty states voted to protect access to abortion.
Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi, along with CHOICES Center for Reproductive Health, talked about the state of reproductive rights in Tennessee Thursday ahead of the anniversary.
Choices said since the ruling, their office in Carbondale, Illinois, has seen more than 2,000 patients, with the vast majority of those from the Mid-South.
Advocates said no one should have to travel for basic reproductive health.
"When communities lose a Planned Parenthood or independent clinic, they lose all the other services that that clinic provides,” said Jen Pepper with CHOICES. “They are often the only ones in that community, so that means people have to travel much further for other forms of health care one on top of abortion, contraceptives, family planning and gender affirming care.”
Ashley Coffield, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi spoke about the progress they have had this past year.
“I'm proud of the way Planned Parenthood has stepped up,” she said. “Thanks to our amazing staff, we've provided patient navigation services, along with direct financial assistance, where we are doing everything we can to help people get the abortion care they need, when they need it.”