**Abortions may become illegal in half of US states after leaked Supreme Court draft**
Abortion could become illegal in as many as 26 of the 50 US states if a draft Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v Wade is upheld, a leaked document has revealed.
The 98-page draft opinion was written by conservative Justice Samuel Alito and circulated among the court in February, according to Politico, which published it on Monday.
The document shows the court appears poised to strike down the 1973 ruling that legalised abortion nationwide.
Abortion rights have long been a contentious issue in the US, but the potential overturning of Roe v Wade is seen by campaigners as a major setback for women’s reproductive rights.
**What does the leaked draft say?**
The draft opinion argues that the US constitution does not confer a right to abortion and that the issue should be left to individual states to decide.
It says: .
