Family Planning pioneer Mary Kille, health advocates condemn Roe v Wade decision

On Friday, the US Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe v Wade decision that granted women the right to terminate a pregnancy. This opens the door for states to deny access to legal abortions, with numerous expected to do so.

Having fought through ongoing challenges to help women access contraception as an anesthetist with Burnie's Family Planning services back in the 70s - a time when doctors were known to refuse prescribing the contraceptive pill - Dr Kille said she'd seen first-hand the devastation unwanted or unsafe pregnancies could cause.

"Women have been let down," Dr Kille said. "It's such a backwards step after all the work that's gone into ensuring there's freedom.

"It's not just the health of the women and their power to make a decision, it's the children who are going to be affected greatly."

She said she remembered when women were reliant on gynecologists or anesthetists being willing to assist with terminations in Tasmania. She said it wasn't something she wanted women to face again.

"These changes will have appalling consequences on the health of so many women. I fear for them and their families."

Tasmanian MP Michelle O'Byrne, who was heavily involved in amending legislation to decriminalise abortion in the state in 2013, said legal protections around accessing termination services were currently sound.

However, she said, this was proof that "eternal vigilance" was required - particularly when you consider it has only been in the last 12 months that surgical terminations have been accessible at the public hospitals in all three regions.

"We've only had it decriminalised for nine years, but we act as if it couldn't happen to us," Ms O'Byrne said.

"Admittedly, our structures are different... but it's about recognising that it's not impossible... as long as we treat abortion as a moral issue, rather than a health issue that women can choose for themselves."

Ms O'Byrne said the language used around this topic was also important - particularly around conversations about the reasons someone may choose to terminate a pregnancy.

"The reason you choose a termination is fundamentally your business," she said, rather than a place for "a moral framework or prism around a woman's right to choose".

Family Planning Tasmania CEO Cedric Manen said what was key was ensuring women in Tasmania understood it was presently legal to access a safe termination, with a number of protection mechanisms upholding abortion care.

"What (the Supreme Court decision) will mean for Australia is it will question women's rights to bodily autonomy," he said. "I think most women would be questioning 'what does this mean for me?'."

He said he wanted to see more understanding and education around what supports look like in this space, and how to access them.

"If they don't understand that, you're going to be filled with panic, fear and doubt that there's not a framework of support - which, in Tasmania, there is," Mr Manen said.

State-wide, Family Planning Tasmania provide 300 medication terminations a year. Mr Manen said this figure was gradually rising, as the service tries to keep up with demand.

"Any erosion to that right is fundamentally an infringement of human rights," Mr Manen said.

He said it was important to note that there were multiple registered organisations ready to provide information or counselling about pregnancy options.

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