Florida's post-Roe v. Wade abortion uptick
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States near those that banned abortion after Roe v. Wade was overturned saw sharp increases in the number of procedures performed, likely due to an influx of out-of-state patients, according to a new analysis from the Guttmacher Institute.
Why it matters: Patients are proving highly motivated to travel to get the care they need, according to Guttmacher, a research organization that supports abortion rights. But for some, that involves overcoming logistical and financial challenges.
Zoom in: Florida has long been a refuge for people living in southern states with abortion bans. The state saw a 13% increase in the procedure over the last three years, based on a comparison of 2020 and 2023 data for the first six months of each year.
- We also saw one of the largest increases in total number of abortions in the six months after the Dobbs decision.
- We're likely picking up patients from Georgia, whose number of abortions went down 18% over the last three years. The state's six-week abortion ban went into effect last summer.
Yes, but: As Florida's abortion bans go back and forth in court, patients are confused about how to navigate the system.
Reality check: Florida's six-week ban is on hold while a lawsuit against the 15-week ban, which is currently in effect, makes its way through the court system.
- The case is before the conservative-leaning state supreme court, which has not yet scheduled oral arguments.
The latest: Floridians Protecting Freedom, a coalition aiming to put abortion access on next year's ballot, reached the signature threshold needed to trigger a supreme court review of the ballot question's language.
- The group needs more than 800,000 signatures by February to get it in front of voters in 2024.