US and state abortions down after Florida’s 6-week ban takes effect

Sep 12

Karah Rucker Anchor

By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Shea Taylor (Producer), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)

It’s been a little over four months since Florida’s 6-week abortion ban has gone into effect, but the rate of abortions didn’t drop as much as it has in other states where similar bans have been enacted. A new study by the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights, found after the ban took effect, abortions dropped by about 30% in Florida. However, in other states where similar bans were put into place, the numbers fell more dramatically.

In Georgia, for example, the abortion rate fell by almost half after (45%) its 6-week ban took effect in November 2022. And in South Carolina, abortions fell by 80% when the state’s law banning abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected went into place in August 2023.

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Nationwide, however, average monthly abortions fell 7% since Florida’s ban went into place in May, and the drop in Florida accounted for more than a third of that decrease.

The Guttmacher Institute said this study suggests Florida clinics, abortion funds and support networks were better prepared than in other states to help women get abortions legally by detecting pregnancies earlier and using out-of-state telehealth pill prescriptions.

Some states have passed laws that allow providers to prescribe abortion pills via telehealth to patients in states with bans.

In November, Florida voters will get a say on the state’s 6-week ban. If a new amendment is approved by 60% of voters, abortions would remain legal until “viability,” which must be determined by a doctor.

Tags: Abortion, abortion pills, Florida, Georgia, Health, Health Care, Pregnancy, Reproductive health, South Carolina, telehealth, Women’s Health

IT’S BEEN A LITTLE OVER FOUR MONTHS SINCE FLORIDA’S 6-WEEK ABORTION BAN TOOK EFFECT… BUT THE RATE OF ABORTIONS DIDN’T DROP AS MUCH AS IT HAS IN OTHER STATES WHERE SIMILAR BANS HAVE BEEN ENACTED.

A NEW STUDY BY THE GUTTMACHER INSTITUTE – A RESEARCH GROUP THAT SUPPORTS ABORTION RIGHTS – FOUND AFTER THE BAN TOOK EFFECT… ABORTIONS DROPPED BY ABOUT 30 PERCENT IN FLORIDA.

HOWEVER, IN OTHER STATES WHERE SIMILAR BANS WERE PUT INTO PLACE… THE NUMBERS FELL MORE DRAMATICALLY.

IN GEORGIA, FOR EXAMPLE… THE ABORTION RATE FELL BY ALMOST HALF AFTER ITS 6-WEEK BAN TOOK EFFECT IN NOVEMBER 20-22.

AND IN SOUTH CAROLINA ABORTIONS FELL BY 80 PERCENT WHEN THE STATE’S LAW BANNING ABORTION AFTER A FETAL HEARTBEAT IS DETECTED WENT INTO PLACE IN AUGUST 20-23.

NATIONWIDE, HOWEVER, AVERAGE MONTHLY ABORTIONS FELL 7 PERCENT SINCE FLORIDA’S BAN WENT INTO PLACE IN MAY – AND THE DROP IN FLORIDA ACCOUNTED FOR MORE THAN A THIRD OF THAT DECREASE.

THE GUTTMACHER INSTITUTE SAYS THIS STUDY SUGGESTS FLORIDA CLINICS, ABORTION FUNDS AND SUPPORT NETWORKS WERE BETTER PREPARED THAN IN OTHER STATES TO HELP WOMEN GET ABORTIONS LEGALLY BY DETECTING PREGNANCIES EARLIER – AND USING OUT-OF-STATE TELEHEALTH PILL PRESCRIPTIONS.

SOME STATES HAVE PASSED LAWS THAT ALLOW PROVIDERS TO PRESCRIBE ABORTION PILLS VIA TELEHEALTH TO PATIENTS IN STATES WITH BANS.

IN NOVEMBER, FLORIDA VOTERS WILL GET A SAY ON THE STATE’S 6-WEEK BAN… BUT IF THE A NEW AMENDMENT IS APPROVED BY 60 PERCENTS OF VOTERS – ABORTIONS WOULD REMAIN LEGAL UNTIL “VIABILITY,” WHICH MUST BE DETERMINED BY A DOCTOR.