Roe v. Wade from Defining Documents in American History: The 1970s (1970-1979)For about a decade prior to the Supreme Court ruling in Roe v Wade, abortion laws had been changing in the United States. Whereas prior to that time the only legal abortions were to save the life of the mother, states were beginning to consider other reasons. During the 1960s, twelve states had loosened regulations on abortions, with four others putting virtually no restrictions on early term abortions in 1970.