What legal principle is established by the decision in Roe v. Wade?

The decision in Roe v. Wade established the legal principle of a woman's right to choose an abortion as part of her constitutional right to privacy. The Supreme Court ruled that this right is protected under the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, which guarantees individuals the right to make private decisions about their own bodies. This landmark ruling recognized that the decision to terminate a pregnancy lies within the realm of personal privacy and autonomy.

The court balanced this right against the state's interests in regulating pregnancies, resulting in a framework that allowed states to impose certain restrictions based on the trimester of pregnancy. Thus, the ruling not only affirmed the right of women to make choices regarding their reproductive health but also set the foundation for subsequent legal discussions on reproductive rights and privacy.