WHILE experts say access to abortion is not at risk in Australia, following the landmark Roe v Wade ruling, some Australian women are feeling fearful and vigilant about how the US Supreme Court's decision will affect them.
A regional mother of one, Julia Mann, said the ruling made her feel "sick," "powerless," and "angry".
"Where is the responsibility of men in this? Why are women and people who can become pregnant saddled with the emotional, physical, and now criminal consequences?" she said.
Experts insist there is no reason to fear abortion access being jeopardised in Australia, because of state and territory legislation.
"We are not at risk of an abortion ban in Australia," MSI Head of Policy Bonney Corbin said.
"It will never happen because we have bipartisan national commitment to abortion rights. We just don't have a legal system that functions in the same way, and we have a different form of democracy."
Ms Corbin said the majority of Australian voters are pro-choice.
"Most Australians agree with that. And those who disagree with that are a minority and have been for a long time."
However, according to Ms Corbin, the overturning of Roe v Wade is still problematic - even for women in places like Australia, where abortion is legal.
"The overturning of Wade is disastrous for the US, and it definitely will have repercussions for the world in terms of the anti-choice rhetoric," she said.
"It sort of opens up conversations about abortion care and places judgment on people's choices about their own bodies and lives."
Ms Mann said she still felt some anxiety about abortion access being limited or banned in Australia.
"I strongly believe that the conservative religious right would ban abortion if they could," she said.
"I do have fear because the USA is very powerful and influential and this action will embolden conservatives in this country to debate the rights of women over their own bodies."
And while Australian women have access to safe and legal abortion services, many say it's a broken system that needs a lot of work - particularly in regional and rural areas.
"It's a postcode lottery across Australia as to whether you're going to be able to access abortion and your choice of care quickly and easily, or whether you're going to need to travel hours or days and spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to access care," Ms Corbin said.
Ms Mann had an unplanned pregnancy and decided to terminate her pregnancy.
"I realised I was pregnant in late September and the shock was real, considering we had previously believed IVF was our only option to have children," she said.
"I didn't have any of the excitement of when we were pregnant with Henry. Just dread, fear of the unknown, stress, morning sickness and a subsequent diagnosis of post natal depression."
Ms Mann called a GP clinic and had a Telehealth consultation about her options, and was told to go into the clinic for blood tests.
She was referred to another clinic for the abortion and said time was against her.
"I was unable to proceed with a medical abortion so I was referred to a private clinic in Sunshine for a surgical abortion," she said.
Ms Mann could not get her abortion in Ballarat, in Victoria's Central Highlands, because the waiting list was too long, so she had to travel through the "ring of steel" during COVID-19 lockdowns and pay a private fee of $400 for the abortion.
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She said due to COVID-19, her partner could not come into the facility with her so she didn't have that comfort and emotional support during the procedure.
"COVID-19 rules played a huge part in isolating me in the process, as my partner was unable to attend the clinic with me for support. I felt miserable, embarrassed, tortured, hopeless, ashamed but also happy that I had the option," the mum of one said.
But following the procedure, Ms Mann started to feel physically and mentally better.
"This could have been the antidepressants I had started or it could have been the relief of knowing I was free to just focus on him, my only child," she said.
While she was able to have her procedure and it was successful, having to travel a long distance and pay hundreds of dollars made the process more difficult and burdensome.
"Our health system is nowhere near good enough in regards to abortion," Ms Mann said.
"Access is limited and dependent on where you live [and] how much money you have."
Ms Corbin said there was more reform needed across Australia to improve abortion access, but that we were on the right track - particularly with South Australia's decriminalised abortions coming into effect, and law reforms providing access to tele abortion.
She said the tele abortion service would benefit all Australian women, but particularly those in regional and rural areas as they won't have to travel long distances to get to a doctor or go to a hospital for a consult.
"They can pick up the phone and call for a consultation with a doctor where they can, if they're eligible, be prescribed a medical abortion tablet, which is delivered to their door," Ms Corbin said.
"Our overall trajectory is in the direction that supports a person's right to choose."
