WACO, Texas (KXXV) — The number of abortions in the United States rose again in 2024, even as bans and restrictions tightened across many states, according to a report released Monday.
The report, published by the WeCount project of the Society of Family Planning, found that more women are obtaining abortions through alternative means, including medication prescribed via telehealth services.
According to the AP, the findings come just one day before the third anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which had guaranteed abortion access for nearly five decades.
As of now, 12 states have implemented total abortion bans with limited exceptions, while four others enforce bans beginning at around six weeks of pregnancy—often before many women know they are pregnant.
The report highlights how women are continuing to access abortion services despite legal obstacles, with a notable rise in the use of abortion pills shipped across state lines.
In Louisiana, officials are pursuing criminal charges related to abortion access, while in Texas, lawmakers are pushing to impose civil penalties on a New York-based doctor accused of prescribing abortion medication to residents there. Louisiana lawmakers have also advanced a bill that would further limit access to abortion pills, which is currently awaiting the governor’s signature.
The data underscores the growing role of telehealth in reproductive care and the complex legal landscape following the 2022 Dobbs decision that overturned Roe.
