Aid for Iowans traveling for abortions tripled, advocates say
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Since Iowa's six-week abortion ban took effect, more Iowans are seeking help to access abortions in other states, per the Chicago Abortion Fund.
Why it matters: Iowa's "fetal heartbeat" law is reshaping access to reproductive care, with residents seeking out-of-state options and anti-abortion advocates pushing for further policy measures.
Flashback: The law, which bans most abortions after six weeks, with exceptions for rape, incest and life-threatening pregnancies, went into effect July 29.
By the numbers: Hundreds of Iowans sought help from organizations to travel out of state for abortions from the end of July through January.
- 147 went to Illinois, 130 to Minnesota, 84 to Nebraska, and seven to Kansas, according to data gathered from regional abortion fund organizations, says Meghan Daniel, a services director at the Chicago Abortion Fund.
- In all of 2024, 625 Iowans seeking out-of-state abortions requested help from the organizations. In 2023, that number was 194.
Plus: Since the ban took effect, groups like the Chicago Abortion Fund, the Iowa Abortion Access Fund, the Nebraska Abortion Resources Fund, and Our Justice have provided a total of $250,000 in financial assistance to Iowans seeking abortions.
- In 2023, that number was $100,000.
The big picture: National abortion funding has declined, while patients are spending more for out-of-state care, Daniel says. Everything from gas and lodging to child care increases costs for abortions.
- Midwest clinics are trying to keep wait times low, despite an influx of people from places like Iowa and even Texas, Daniel says.
Zoom out: In Illinois, anyone may seek an abortion until 24-26 weeks of pregnancy.
- Minnesota has no restrictions on when an abortion can be performed.
The other side: Kristi Judkins, executive director of Iowa Right to Life, says she's not surprised by the increase in out-of-state abortions, especially to Illinois, where there are fewer restrictions.
- "It just means our work is definitely not finished in education and awareness on where we stand with regard to the sanctity of life," Judkins says.
- Iowa Right to Life is supporting several pieces of legislation this year, she says, including requiring signs in medical facilities informing patients about reversing a medication-induced abortion and teaching prenatal and fetal development in schools.
Context: For most of the decade prior to the Dobbs v. Jackson ruling in June 2022, abortions declined nationally, but they increased before that decision.
- Recent data shows there were more than 1 million abortions in 2023, a slight uptick from 930,160 in 2020, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.
- In Iowa, there were 2,771 abortions reported in 2023, a decline from 4,061 in 2022, according to the most recent data from the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services.
- Abortions also dropped in the months immediately after the fetal heartbeat law went into effect, IPR reports.