# If Roe v. Wade were reversed, what would happen? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 10, 2003, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-roe-v-wade-were-reversed-what-would-happen/174324 "2003-05-10T14:56:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Conflict\_of\_Interest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/57b2e6/32.png) [@Conflict\_of\_Interest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Conflict_of_Interest)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-roe-v-wade-were-reversed-what-would-happen/174324/41 "2003-05-11T14:06:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Myria \* > \*\*In a number of states - whether Texas is one or not I do not know - any child born within a marriage is legally a product of that marriage regardless. This has come up any number of times in child support cases of late. \*\* I do remember that was the case in the 70’s when I lived in Texas while serving in the Air Force. But I thought the law had changed. I could be wrong though. Just a side note. At that time if the husband came home and found his wife in bed with someone else and he killed them he would most likely be acquitted of charges because it was a crime of passion. Women however were not allowed to use the same defense as him. This was changed before I left the state in 78. ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-roe-v-wade-were-reversed-what-would-happen/174324/42 "2003-05-11T14:32:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Conflict of Interest \* > I do remember that was the case in the 70’s when I lived in Texas while serving in the Air Force. Speaking as a Texas lawyer with an interest in family law, I assure you that you are mistaken. The presumption of marital paternity has always been rebuttable upon sufficient evidence. ---
**Author:** ![Conflict\_of\_Interest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/57b2e6/32.png) [@Conflict\_of\_Interest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Conflict_of_Interest)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-roe-v-wade-were-reversed-what-would-happen/174324/43 "2003-05-11T14:45:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by minty green \* > \*\*Speaking as a Texas lawyer with an interest in family law, I assure you that you are mistaken. The presumption of marital paternity has always been rebuttable upon sufficient evidence. \*\* Well I certainly won’t dispute anyone that is a lawyer there. But if I may ask, in the 70’s with no DNA evidence how did paternity get resolved? ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-roe-v-wade-were-reversed-what-would-happen/174324/44 "2003-05-11T15:16:30Z")
JThunder, I did read your article, did you read my post? ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-roe-v-wade-were-reversed-what-would-happen/174324/45 "2003-05-11T15:58:24Z")
I most certainly did. In fact, I responded in a point by point fashion, explaining WHY any increase in maternal risks due to abortion would be quite small. In summary, (a) there is no evidence of widespread maternal deaths due to illegal abortions prior to Roe v Wade, (b) Planned Parenthood itself claimed that there was no significant risk involved in seeking illegal abortions, and © if complications occur, a woman can always seek help from the physician who performed the abortion (which would be the common sense response, in any event). So unless you can provide direct evidence (i.e. something beyond mere speculation) that these illegal abortions would suddenly constitute major risks, then I don’t think your argument holds water. ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-roe-v-wade-were-reversed-what-would-happen/174324/46 "2003-05-11T17:21:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Conflict of Interest \* > But if I may ask, in the 70’s with no DNA evidence how did paternity get resolved? With much less certainty. Blood typing was available, of course, and that helped. But mostly it boiled down to testimony about who was cheating with whom and when, who the kid looked like, etc. DNA is the be-all and end-all of the dispute these days, but it was a lot messier back then. ---
**Author:** ![Conflict\_of\_Interest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/57b2e6/32.png) [@Conflict\_of\_Interest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Conflict_of_Interest)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-roe-v-wade-were-reversed-what-would-happen/174324/47 "2003-05-11T17:35:10Z")
Thank you minty green. So then the baby was considered legitimate until someone could prove it wasn’t. Is that a correct assumption? And if so, how is that different today? ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-roe-v-wade-were-reversed-what-would-happen/174324/48 "2003-05-11T17:57:53Z")
It is no different at all. That was my point. ---
**Author:** ![Conflict\_of\_Interest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/57b2e6/32.png) [@Conflict\_of\_Interest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Conflict_of_Interest)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-roe-v-wade-were-reversed-what-would-happen/174324/49 "2003-05-11T18:18:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by minty green \* > \*\*It is no different at all. That was my point. \*\* Ahhhh, ok. Good point then. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-roe-v-wade-were-reversed-what-would-happen/174324/50 "2003-05-11T19:13:54Z")
> [@](#): > > In fact, I responded in a point by point fashion, explaining WHY any increase in maternal risks due to abortion would be quite small. In summary, (a) there is no evidence of widespread maternal deaths due to illegal abortions prior to Roe v Wade I’m not too concerned whether the number of women being killed was large. Even if a million fetusus are saved for every one woman who dies because she was forced into an illegal abortion, that number is too high for me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-roe-v-wade-were-reversed-what-would-happen/174324.md?page=2)