From July to December 2022, thirteen states with bans in place saw 7000 fewer abortions per month compared to the April and May before Roe v. Wade was overturned.
There was an average of 265 abortions per month in these states during the six-month period, according to the Society for Family Planning’s new report.
States with abortion restrictions also experienced significant declines.
Tessa Longbons, a research associate with the Charlotte Lozier Institute, called the report “good news,” noting it is evidence pro-life laws are “saving lives” and “contributing to a drop in abortion nationwide.”
She added, “It means babies are being saved. It means women are being protected from the harms of abortion.”
Prior to the Dobbs decision, abortions had been on an upward trend since 2017, according to Guttmacher Institute data.
The news isn’t all good. States that permit abortion saw an average increase of more than 1,800 abortions per month after the Dobbs decision. By December, telehealth clinics in those states were providing an average of 8,540 monthly abortions, up from 3,590 in April.
Longbons said the increase in telehealth abortions is a result of the Food and Drug Administration’s decision to “relax” protections and allow abortion pills to be sent through the mail.