A quarterly report released by the Society of Family Planning finds that the number of women getting abortions in the United States went up in the first quarter of 2024 compared to before the landmark Roe v. Wade decision was overturned.
The increased rate of abortions can be attributed to states with Democratic-led legislatures enacting laws to expand abortion access and protect doctors who use telemedicine to communicate with patients in places that have abortion bans, according to the report.
Driving the news: States with total bans on abortions had near-zero abortion numbers, while states bordering those with abortion restrictions such as Illinois, Kansas, and New Mexico, saw the rate increase. Abortion numbers fell by half in states that ban it after six weeks of pregnancy.
- The use of abortion pills and telemedicine played a crucial role in the increase in abortion rates, with doctors in states with laws to protect medical providers using telemedicine to prescribe abortion pills to nearly 10,000 patients in states with abortion bans or restrictions.
- The report estimates that, if not for the bans enacted post-Roe v. Wade, there would have been approximately 9,900 more abortions per month and 208,000 total since in states that have now banned abortions.
Go deeper: Aside from telemedicine for abortion care, the study also highlights the impact of state-level abortion protections. Several states have upcoming November elections that will feature ballot measures on abortion rights.
- Recent polls indicate growing support for abortion rights across the United States, including a recent Associated Press-NORC poll that found 6 out of 10 Americans believe their state should allow someone to obtain a legal abortion if they don’t want to be pregnant for any reason.
- Experts believe that the issue may drive voters in the upcoming elections. Voters will have a chance to enshrine or reject state-level abortion protections in several states, making it a key element of the November elections.
