Hearing its first big abortion case since the appointment of two new conservative justices, the US Supreme Court yesterday appeared reluctant to tamper with fundamental abortion rights established by the landmark 1973 ruling Roe v Wade and two subsequent rulings upholding a woman's right to choose.

The court met hours after abortion rights supporters won three state ballot initiatives on abortion. In South Dakota, voters repealed a state law that, in effect, banned all abortions. California and Oregon voters rejected measures that would have forced teenagers to obtain parental consent in order to have an abortion. It was unclear if the justices would uphold a federal law banning one rare abortion procedure. The court will rule on the case by July.