Since the Supreme Court's landmark Dobbs ruling, the number of abortions in the United States has dropped by more than 10,000.
According to a report published by FiveThirtyEight since the summer, 10,570 fewer abortions have been performed. The published data, compiled by #WeCount, indicates that numbers dropped by 22,020 among states that banned abortion after the ruling. However, the increase in bordering states by some 12,000 left the national balance at a total drop of 10,570.
22,020 fewer abortions in states where it is banned
The study only tracks legal abortions, but mentions that they "almost certainly underestimate the total number." In fact, they recall that, even before Dobbs, "activist groups and online pharmacies were providing abortion pills directly to consumers through the mail. By July, Mexican activists were already reporting that they were inundated with requests for abortion pills from women all over the United States."
Most of the west coast has seen an increase in abortions, while much of the south has seen the majority of decreases. In July, abortions dropped to zero in Alabama or Mississippi. Currently, 11 states have banned it altogether and four others have significantly limited it. This number, according to those responsible for the study, will continue to grow in the coming months. According to their estimates, next year the number of abortions could be reduced by 60,000.
66 clinics stopped offering abortions
According to the Guttmacher Institute, in the 100 days following the ruling, at least 66 clinics stopped performing abortions in the 15 states mentioned above. Forty of them continue to offer other services, while 26 have closed. Prior to the Supreme Court's decision, there were 79. The 13 that continue to offer abortions are located in Georgia.
