New state abortion numbers show increases in some surprising places

New state data from the Guttmacher Institute shows a significant increase in abortions in some surprising states, largely due to individuals traveling to access services.

The big picture: Illinois, a state known for protecting access to abortions, noted an increase of 18,300 more abortions in the first half of this year compared to 2020.
* This suggests that people are travelling to states like Illinois, where abortion laws are less restrictive.
* Illinois reported a 69% increase in abortions, potentially putting a strain on the existing healthcare services.

Surprising changes: New Mexico reported a 220% increase in the number of abortions.
* Small increases were also noted in other states surrounding those where bans are in place, including Montana, Wyoming and Ohio.
* Despite these states not positioning themselves as havens for access, those seeking abortions are still motivated to travel to these states.

By the numbers: Texas saw a stark contrast in its abortion numbers, with about four abortions conducted each month this year compared to an average of 4,800 per month in 2020.
* State laws allow minimal abortions in exceptional cases.

Between the lines: The research from Guttmacher Institute only measured abortions conducted in clinical settings.
* Self-managed abortions or those conducted with pills ordered from outside the U.S. have not been accounted for in this study.
* The impact of the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, alongside the pandemic and the expansion of telehealth also influenced the changes in numbers.

Next steps: Guttmacher will continue to update its data online and plans to soon publish data showing how new bans in Indiana and South Carolina will further impact abortion access in the U.S.

View original article on NPR

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