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By Lilith Foster-Collins
News Reporter
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In the wake of the Supreme Court's landmark decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in June 2022, abortion rates across the U.S. have slightly increased according to a report released Wednesday.
The quarterly #WeCount report by the Society of Family Planning attributes this increase largely to new laws in Democratic-led states protecting doctors who use telemedicine to provide abortion services in states with bans.
The data arrives at a critical juncture as the November elections approach, with abortion rights expected to be a significant issue for voters.
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Several states will see ballot measures offering voters the chance to either enshrine or reject state-level abortion protections.
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The latest #WeCount data, spanning the first three months of this year, marks January as the first month to record over 100,000 abortions nationwide.
The survey, conducted monthly since April 2022, shows that states with comprehensive abortion bans saw the number of procedures plummet to near zero, while states with six-week bans experienced a roughly 50% decline.
Fourteen states currently enforce total abortion bans with limited exceptions, and four others restrict abortions after six weeks.
States where abortion remains legal later into pregnancy have seen increases, particularly those neighboring states with stringent bans, such as Illinois, Kansas, and New Mexico.
In March, telemedicine prescriptions for abortion pills were provided to nearly 10,000 patients in states with restrictive laws, representing about 10% of all U.S. abortions.
Laws safeguarding telemedicine providers prescribing abortion pills began taking effect in several Democratic-led states last year.
Ushma Upadhyay, a University of California, San Francisco professor and co-leader of #WeCount, emphasized that this has freed up clinic capacity for patients who need in-person care.
Even prior to the fall of Roe, the demand for abortions outstripped access.
Upadhyay noted that many women are now continuing pregnancies they would have otherwise terminated if access were available.
Since the ban, more women are attempting abortions without medical assistance since the Supreme Court overturned federal abortion protections.
Researchers from the University of California discovered that the proportion of women who attempted to terminate a pregnancy independently, without medical assistance, rose from 2.4% before the implementation of new laws to 3.3% afterward.
Florida saw a rise in abortions until April, when a six-week ban took effect. This change is not yet reflected in the data.
The state faces a potential policy shift in November with a ballot measure to legalize abortion until viability, defined around 23 to 24 weeks, requiring 60% voter approval to amend the state constitution.
Florida is one of six states with abortion measures on the ballot, with similar questions pending in four additional states.
Nebraska, for example, faces competing amendments to either allow abortions until viability or maintain a 12-week limit.
Since 2022, abortion-rights supporters have won all seven U.S. ballot measures on the issue, aligning with polls indicating growing public support for abortion rights.
A recent Associated Press-NORC poll found that 60% of Americans believe their state should permit abortion for any reason.
Arizona, a key battleground state, could see a ballot measure protecting abortion access.
The state Supreme Court's ruling to enforce an 1864 total abortion ban was overturned by lawmakers, leaving a 15-week ban in place. The proposed ballot measure seeks to extend access to 24 weeks.
In Missouri, where almost all abortions are banned, a proposed constitutional amendment ensuring abortion rights awaits certification for the ballot.
Political scientist Peverill Squire from the University of Missouri suggests that such measures could mobilize Democratic voters, potentially influencing legislative races.
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