Abortion

Abortion remains a controversial topic nearly 30 years after the U.S. Supreme Court decision known as Roe v. Wade struck down most state laws restricting a woman's access to the medical procedure.  Since then the political battle mostly swirled around states adding regulations such as waiting periods and national efforts to limit federal funding related to abortions.  When Congress passed and President Obama signed the legislation reforming health-care coverage passage came only after firm assurances federal money could not be spent on abortions beyond the current limits of cases involving rape, incest or to save the life of the mother.  The opposing camps generally are known as pro-choice, favoring a woman's right to make personal health and family planning decisions--and pro-life, who cite moral and religious concerns and may consider aborting an unborn fetus to be murder.