Utah's abortion rate unchanged since Roe v. Wade overturned
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Abortions in Utah have remained stable in the year since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, per a new report by the Society of Family Planning.
By the numbers: An estimated 1,100 abortions were performed in Utah between January and March 2023.
- Before the Dobbs decision, Utah providers conducted an average of 360 abortions a month.
Meanwhile, legal battles over two restrictive abortion laws in Utah continue to play out in court.
Catch up quick: Last year, the Dobbs decision triggered a ban prohibiting abortions at any stage of pregnancy under most circumstances.
- Gov. Spencer Cox signed a law in March banning abortion clinics statewide.
- Yes, but: Both laws are on hold pending legal review after the Planned Parenthood Association of Utah and the ACLU of Utah filed lawsuits.
- An 18-week abortion ban stemming from a 2019 state law took effect last year. Abortions up to 18 weeks of pregnancy remain legal in Utah.
What they're saying: “We will challenge every new law,” Planned Parenthood Association of Utah CEO Kathryn Boyd told KUER. “We are not going to give up on providing abortion care in this state."
The big picture: 20 states have moved to ban or restrict abortion in the last year, and 25 states have measures in place to protect abortion rights, Axios' Oriana Gonzalez writes.
Zoom out: While Utah's abortion rates have not changed significantly, Colorado and California, nearby "safe haven" states, experienced a surge in abortions performed nine months after the Dobbs decision.