Margot Sanger-Katz discusses the surprising impact of overturning Roe v. Wade. Despite state bans, abortion rates have slightly increased nationwide. The Biden administration's changes in rules have increased access to abortions through telemedicine and remote doctors. Overturning Roe has unintentionally led to an unexpected increase in abortions.
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Quick takeaways
Approximately 25% of women in states that banned abortion chose to carry their pregnancies to term instead of terminating them.
The distance to the nearest abortion clinic significantly influenced the increase in births in states with abortion bans, with longer distances resulting in higher rates of births.
Deep dives
Impact of Roe v. Wade Overturning on Abortion Rates
After the Roe v. Wade decision was overturned, the number of abortions in the 13 states that banned abortion immediately increased significantly. In the first six months after the decision, there were approximately 32,000 more births in these states than expected, indicating a 2.3% increase in the birth rate. This result suggests that about 25% of women who would have terminated their pregnancies chose to carry them to term instead.
Geographical Impact of Abortion Bans on Birth Rates
The increase in births as a result of the abortion bans was more significant in states where the distance to the nearest abortion clinic was longer. For example, Texas, which has large distances between clinics, experienced the largest rise in births, followed by Mississippi. This trend suggests that the financial and logistical barriers created by long travel distances deterred women from accessing abortion more effectively.
Nationwide Impact of Abortion Regulations
Contrary to expectations, the overall number of abortions across the country has not decreased since the Roe v. Wade decision was overturned. In fact, the data shows a slight increase in abortions by approximately 0.2%. This can be attributed to several factors, including women traveling to neighboring states to access abortion services and the growing availability of telemedicine for obtaining abortion pills. Additionally, some states with legal abortion have implemented policies to make abortion more accessible and affordable, contributing to an increase in abortions in those areas.
From the moment that Roe v. Wade was overturned, the question was just how much the change would reduce abortions across the United States. Now, more than a year later, the numbers are in.
Margot Sanger-Katz, who writes about health care for The Upshot, explains why the results are not what anyone had expected.
Guest: Margot Sanger-Katz, a domestic correspondent for The New York Times.
Background reading:
The first estimate of births since Dobbs found that almost a quarter of women who would have gotten abortions in states that banned it carried their pregnancies to term.