The landscape of abortion access in the United States continued to evolve in 2024, with fewer people crossing state lines to obtain abortions compared to the previous year. According to a survey conducted by the Guttmacher Institute, an organization supporting abortion rights, the overall number of clinician-provided abortions in states where they remain legal saw a slight increase of less than 1% from 2023 to 2024. However, the number of individuals traveling across state boundaries for the procedure decreased by approximately 9%.
The report, which draws upon a monthly survey of providers, offers an updated perspective on abortion trends following the Supreme Court’s 2022 reversal of Roe v. Wade. This decision effectively nullified a national constitutional right to abortion, allowing states to impose their own bans and restrictions. Despite these changes, the total number of abortions in the U.S. has risen since the Dobbs decision, with Guttmacher estimating 1.04 million abortions in 2024.
Various states have enforced abortion bans with limited exceptions, impacting the accessibility of services. Twelve states currently impose such bans at all pregnancy stages, while four states enforce bans after approximately six weeks, often before many women are aware of their pregnancies.
Notably, Guttmacher’s data does not encompass self-managed abortions, which include acquiring abortion pills through community networks, foreign pharmacies, or telehealth services in states with laws protecting these practices. A separate survey indicated that the distribution of telehealth pills in states with bans has increased, constituting about one in ten abortions by mid-2024.
The number of people traveling for abortions fell to about 155,000 from nearly 170,000 previously. The impact of these travel changes varies by state. In Florida, for example, about one in eight abortions in early 2023 involved individuals from out of state. Following the enactment of a six-week ban, only one in fifty abortions were for out-of-state individuals by late 2024. Meanwhile, states such as Virginia and New York saw an increase in patients after Florida’s restrictions were implemented.
Efforts to address these disparities include the work of organizations like the Tampa Bay Abortion Fund in Florida, which assists with the logistics and costs associated with obtaining abortions. However, many individuals remain unaware of their options or believe that traveling out of state is not feasible.
The Societal Shift
The evolving legal landscape surrounding abortion in the United States is having a significant impact on individuals’ access to reproductive healthcare. As certain states impose stricter bans, the accessibility of abortion services has become increasingly contingent on geographical location, affecting those who cannot travel due to financial, logistical, or personal constraints. This shift has broader implications, potentially exacerbating existing disparities in maternal healthcare and leading to increased birth rates, particularly among marginalized communities.
For individuals living in states with stringent abortion restrictions, the necessity to travel significant distances for care has introduced additional burdens, impacting their personal and financial well-being. The limited availability of local abortion services has led to increased reliance on telehealth options, though this is not a viable solution for everyone.
The broader societal impact extends beyond individual access to abortion, influencing public health outcomes such as maternal and infant mortality rates. The disparities in healthcare access and outcomes are likely to persist, raising important questions about equity and justice in reproductive healthcare across different communities in the country.