Women residing in states with strict abortion restrictions continued to obtain the procedure in the latter half of 2023 at rates comparable to those before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, according to a recent report.
The report reveals that women navigated these restrictions by traveling to other states or receiving prescription abortion pills via mail. It highlights the growing reliance on telehealth services, as providers in states with protective laws used online platforms to prescribe abortion medication.
“The abortion bans are not eliminating the need for abortion,” stated a public health expert involved in the analysis. “People are overcoming these obstacles because they have no choice.”
Launched just before the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the report has been tracking monthly abortion provider data across the nation, illustrating rapid changes in abortion access. The project provides timely insights, delivering data with less than a six-month lag, unlike other federal reports that take longer to release.
Following the Supreme Court’s ruling, states with abortion bans saw a dramatic decline in procedures, dropping to nearly zero in some regions, particularly where bans came into effect around six weeks, often before women recognize their pregnancies.
Nevertheless, the total number of abortions nationwide has remained at or above pre-ruling levels. Current estimates suggest that approximately 99,000 abortions occurred monthly in early 2024, up from 81,000 in late 2022 and 88,000 throughout 2023.
A key factor in maintaining these numbers has been the increased adoption of telehealth services, particularly after protective legislation was enacted in some states. The report notes that in April 2022, only about 1 in 25 abortions were conducted via telehealth prescriptions; by June 2024, that number had increased to 1 in 5.
The latest findings from the report include state-specific data on abortion pill prescriptions, indicating that nearly half of these prescriptions are now issued to patients in states with restrictive abortion laws.
In the latter half of 2023, states like Texas reported about 2,800 monthly prescriptions for abortion pills, with significant numbers also observed in Mississippi and Missouri.
Additionally, data from other research shows that women in states with abortion bans primarily continue to rely on travel to obtain procedures.
By integrating findings from various surveys with established counts, the report found that women in states with comprehensive bans have maintained abortion rates similar to those of 2020. The figures do not reflect pills acquired outside the medical system during that period when many prescriptions originated internationally.
For instance, women in West Virginia secured nearly 220 abortions monthly, a rise compared to about 140 per month in 2020, largely through travel. Conversely, Oklahoma saw a decline, with monthly abortions dropping to under 470 in 2023 from around 690 in 2020.
A significant telehealth provider, recently established, serves numerous patients primarily in states with restrictions, having prescribed to about 500 individuals a month since its launch.
While initially charging $250, the organization is now experimenting with a new pricing model set at $5, aiming to serve 1,500 to 2,000 patients monthly through a grant-funded initiative.
Commenting on the current situation, the co-founder of the provider referred to the Supreme Court’s decision as detrimental to human rights and social justice but noted an interesting shift in availability and affordability of abortion services in certain areas.
Despite a lack of significant legal challenges against shield laws, abortion opponents continue to attempt to restrict access to key medications. Recent legal motions have been filed in three states seeking to challenge federal approvals that facilitate access to abortion pills, including those available via telehealth services.
