Abortions rise in Washington as they plummet in Idaho, per report
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The number of abortions performed in Washington state has gone up in recent months, even as the number of procedures performed nationwide has decreased, according to a new report.
Why it matters: The figures reflect a trend noted by local abortion providers: Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, more people are traveling from states with restrictive abortion laws, such as Idaho, to places like Washington to get abortions.
Driving the news: The new report, released Friday by the Society of Family Planning, found that 5% more abortions took place in Washington during the month of August compared to April.
- Meanwhile, abortions in Idaho plummeted by 48% in the same timeframe, per the report.
- Nationwide, the decline was about 6%.
State of play: Washington law guarantees the right to an abortion through fetal viability — considered roughly 24 weeks of pregnancy — or to protect the birth parent's life or health.
- In Idaho, however, a near-total ban on abortions took effect in late August.
What they're saying: Paul Dillon, vice president of public affairs for Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho, said that between April and August, the organization's health centers in Eastern Washington saw a 5% uptick in abortion patients traveling from Idaho.
- After Idaho's ban took effect, the effect was even greater, Dillon said, with at least a 12% increase in Idaho patients crossing the border for abortions between April and October.
Yes, and: Patients are coming from all over the country, Dillon told Axios. "A couple weeks ago, we saw two patients from Florida in one week," he said. "They traveled to Spokane. That's something that hasn't happened before."
What we're watching: While state law already protects abortion rights, Washington officials including Gov. Jay Inslee have pledged to push for a constitutional amendment to make the state's law even more difficult to overturn.