Reproductive rights supporters rally across the country

Thousands of reproductive rights supporters are gathering Saturday at rallies across the country following this month's leaked Supreme Court draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade.

The draft opinion has sparked a wave of protests. More than 100 Bans off Our Bodies rallies are set to take place Saturday across the United States, from Hawaii, to California to Oklahoma to Washington, D.C.

If Roe v. Wade were overturned, at least 26 states are "certain or likely" to ban abortions, according to data from Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights. That could affect 36 million women, in addition to more people who can become pregnant, Planned Parenthood says.

In Washington, activists have been rallying at the Supreme Court steps since the night the draft opinion was leaked. As many as 17,000 people are expected on the National Mall for the Bans off Our Bodies demonstration, NBC4 Washington reported.

Meanwhile in Chicago, hundreds of protesters gathered in a park west of the city's downtown. Women who say they have had abortions, along with an abortion doctor, spoke at the demonstration. Many at the rally say they want abortions to remain safe and accessible.

Rachel O'Leary Carmona, executive director of Women's March, said the demonstrations can help build "community power."

"Our role is to try to make our voices heard," she told NPR. [Copyright 2022 NPR]