The end of Roe v. Wade is having a clear impact across the country. Recent statistics reveal stark contrasts in abortion rates since the Supreme Court's decision to leave abortion law up to the states.
According to a new report by the Society of Family Planning, abortion rates have risen in states with easier access to the procedure and have plummeted in states with stricter restrictions or total bans. The study compares data from the first few months of this year with the same period last year, before the Supreme Court's decision.
The data shows a marked divide: abortion rates have increased in states where it remains legal, such as Illinois, Kansas, and New Mexico. In contrast, rates have dropped by about half in states with six-week bans and have nearly vanished in the 14 states with full abortion bans. Those states include Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
The shifting legal landscape continues to impact both abortion availability and support systems for women in need. Demand for maternity homes, many of them faith-based, has surged since the historic decision.
Mary's Shelter in Virginia is now fielding more requests for transitional housing and support for pregnant women. Founder Kathleen Wilson says, "I think that homes like Mary's Shelter and other maternity homes defy the lie that we only care about the baby in the womb and not the mom."
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Still, in the first quarter of 2024, nearly 99,000 abortions were reported. Estimates suggest that almost half of these procedures now occur at home, often facilitated by virtual prescriptions.
Epidemiologist Lauren Ralph notes, "Our study found that attempts to self-manage an abortion increased from about 2.4% of the U.S. population of reproductive age in 2021 to 3.3% in the summer of 2023."
As the November elections approach, Democrats nationwide are campaigning on the abortion issue, with voters in both red and blue states set to decide on state-level abortion authorizations. Pro-choice advocates hope this issue will drive voter turnout and influence the political landscape.
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