. ♪ ♪ ♪ >>> shelley thornton was a toddler when roe v.973, and she's lived most of her life in anonymity, never knowing as a child how her existence was at the center of that landmark case. for decades, shelley thornton has been living with a truth she's kept close to her heart. for a long time you didn't tell anybody who your biological mother was. what kind of weight was that? >> it's a lot of weight. i don't want people finding out that norma gave birth to me and then be like, oh, so it's because of you that all of this stuff happened. >> reporter: shelley, now 51, is the biological child of norma mckorvey, better known as jane roe, the plaintiff at the landmark supreme court case roe v. wade. norma was pregnant with shelley when she sued for the right to have an abortio in texas in the early '70s. even though she won, because it took longer for two years than the case to be decided, norma gave shelley up for adoption. when you are able to think about the idea that your mere conception brought about arguably the most controversial supr

shelley lynn thornton said she grew up with depression and anxiety feeling she wasn't wanted. want to adopt an adoption is their only option. choosing life gives those parents a child and give that child the love that they need. 62 million children are not with us in this country. 62 million because of abortion. it's such a tragedy. we have a white house that was asked of the podium, jen psaki, can you say a child at 15 weeks is a child. that's when a child has a heart beat fully arms and legs. they can make facial expressions. she refused to confirm that that child was a person. they are a person. >> harris: rob, i want to get to the point of the publicity factor. that just sort of makes me think, did politics play a role? what do you think that's about? >> rob: i think politics to play a role and i think the most interesting thing about the stories that she has decided not to make her views on abortion known. she said she doesn't want to be used -- it's interesting. she said she doesn't want to quote-unquote be used by either side. as a man, i tread lightly when it comes to

. >> reporter: shelley thornton's biological mother was jane roe. immediately she gave thornton up for adoption. thornton says while she had no part in the controversial ruling, it's been a burden her entire life. >> my whole thinking is, oh, god, everybody is going to halt me because everybody is going to blame me for abortion being legal. >> reporter: now almost 50 years later, this session of the high court is expected to determine if it stays that way. the justices already working under an intense spotlight right now. a gallup poll last month shows that americans' opinion of the high court are at an all-time low with an approval rating of just 40%. jay gray, nbc news, washington. >> jay, thank you. the justices won't hear arguments in that mississippi abortion case until october 24. we say this is an extraordinary caseload for the supreme court. how often does this type of caseload happen? >> it's extraordinary because first of all they're very volatile issues, some of them. abortion, capital punishment will be one of them, gun rights, giving pu

shelley lynn thornton said she's feeling like she's blamed for the actions of her mother, jane roe. >of people didn't know that i existed. >> reporter: for decades, she's been known simply as baby roe. now at 51 years old, shelley thornton is breaking her silence, talking exclusively to abc news in her first broadcast interview. >> your mere conception brought about arguably the most controversial supreme court ruling in history. >> mm-hmm. >> what's the impact on you now? >> it's -- it doesn't revolve around me. i wasn't the one who, like, created this law. i'm not the one who created this movement. >> reporter: her biological mother was norma mccorvey, aka jane roe, a cleaning woman from katy, texas. her desire to terminate that pregnancy caused her to file a lawsuit against the state of texas. she never did have that abortion, and by the time the supreme court ruled in her favor in 1973, the baby had already been adopted and was 2 1/2 years old. >> my whole thinking is that, oh, god. everybody is going to hate me because everyone's going to blame me for abortion being legal. >> wha