Since the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade, the number of women receiving abortions has increased in nearly every state with bans, according to the Society of Family Planning’s latest “#WeCount” report. The rise is partly due to women traveling out of state and the growing use of telehealth to obtain abortion pills from providers in states with shield laws.
In the second quarter of 2024, an average of 9,700 telehealth abortions were provided monthly under these shield laws, a 5% increase from the first quarter. Telehealth accounted for 20% of all abortion care nationally, while in-person services—hardest hit by bans—made up 80%.
Despite the increase, abortion rights advocates warn that many in states with bans still lack access to care due to financial constraints or lack of awareness of telemedicine options. Alison Norris, co-chair of #WeCount, emphasized that “the need for abortion care continues” as bans remove local access.
The report also highlighted state-specific impacts: in the latter half of 2023, an estimated 12,420 Texans received abortion medications through telehealth, while 5,265 Tennesseans traveled out of state for care.
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