Survey finds 8,000 women a month got abortion pills despite their states’ bans or restrictions
Thousands of women in states with abortion bans and restrictions are receiving abortion pills in the mail from states that have laws protecting prescribers, a new report shows.
Tuesday’s release of the #WeCount survey shows about 8,000 women a month in states that severely restrict abortion or place limits on having one through telehealth were getting the pills by mail by the end of 2023, the first time a number has been put on how often the medical system workaround is being used. The research was conducted for the Society of Family Planning, which supports abortion rights.
An additional 8,000 women in states without bans or major restrictions on telehealth abortion were receiving pills each month through virtual appointments, the study showed.
In all, the survey counted about 90,000 monthly surgical or medication abortions offered by medical providers in 2023, higher than the previous year. Another study recently found that close to two-thirds of the total use pills.
Medication abortions typically involve a combination two drugs: mifepristone and misoprostol. The rise of these pills is one reason total abortion numbers increased even after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.