Thirty-five years ago this week, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down the ruling in the landmark reproductive rights case, Roe v. Wade.

It was the first step in the journey of women to take control of their own reproductive rights.

Now, 35 years later, women still have a long way to go in order to achieve this goal.

Access to comprehensive family planning, contraception and sexuality education is still out of reach for many women and families in North Dakota and across the nation.

Extremists are trying to take away a women's right to choice but are doing next to nothing to educate children and young adults about preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. If these extremists were truly committed to ending the need for abortion, they should band together with organizations like Planned Parenthood to help educate and prevent unwanted pregnancies. Planned Parenthood does more to prevent abortion in one day than the opposition does in its entirety.

This anniversary should be a time for us to take action to ensure that women and families have access to reproductive health care, including contraception, family planning and abortion care as we work to reduce unintended pregnancy and the need for abortion.

A woman who does not have reproductive control over her own body cannot be considered free. We must invest time, money and energy into making sure that all women have the health care they need to stay healthy and plan their families.

Thirty-five years after Roe v. Wade gave women the constitutional right to choose, North Dakotans have an abortion ban on the books.

Instead of banning abortion, leaders must find practical solutions to reduce unintended pregnancy and the need for abortion.

(Berlinger identifies herself as a University of North Dakota law student and president of UND Pro-Choice Voice. - Editor)