US Abortion Rates Remain Steady Despite Bans, Thanks to Telehealth and Travel
TL/DR –
Despite bans in some US states, the abortion rate remains stable due to cross-state travel and an increase in telehealth appointments. There has been a slight increase in the number of abortions, and a shift towards telehealth services where providers can prescribe mail-order pills. Telehealth has resulted in fewer people needing to travel for abortions, especially from states with total bans, and the number of people seeking abortions from states with bans has more than doubled since the Dobbs decision.
US Abortion Rate Remains Despite State Bans, Increased Telehealth Appointments Key Factor
The US abortion rate persists, despite restrictions in certain states, due to cross-state travel and a boost in telehealth consultations, reveals a new report. Officials are considering altering regulations surrounding the distribution of mifepristone, an abortion medication, due to its widespread support.
A small increase in US abortions was recorded last year, from 1.124m to 1.126m, suggests a Guttmacher Institute report. The report also points to a shift towards telehealth, with healthcare providers increasingly prescribing mail-order pills.
Significant adaptations include the increased provision of telehealth services in states with total bans. Clinicians in states like New York or Massachusetts, which have shield laws protecting providers, are now treating and prescribing remotely to patients in states like Texas or Alabama.
Joanne Rosen, a professor at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, explained that these shield laws are pivotal for increasing access and protecting providers. They make medication abortion more affordable and accessible, while offering providers legal protection.
In 2025, 142,000 individuals travelled across state lines for abortion care, a decline from 170,000 in 2023. Almost half of these individuals resided in states with total abortion bans. This decrease is primarily among residents of states with total bans, with 12,000 fewer people travelling for abortion in 2025 compared to 2024.
However, 62,000 residents of states with bans travelled for abortions in 2025, more than twice the number before the Dobbs decision. An additional 47,000 individuals travelled from states with six- or 12-week bans in 2025.
Telehealth appointments are also on the rise, especially in states with abortion bans. Isaac Maddow-Zimet, a data scientist at the Guttmacher Institute, reported that people who access telehealth no longer need to travel for care. He explained this is not surprising, but it is the first time specific numbers on this shift have been released.
Maddow-Zimet noted two concurrent trends. Firstly, it has become harder and more expensive to travel for care due to the partial or total bans implemented across the country. Secondly, telehealth is becoming more broadly available and it’s often much cheaper.
Maddow-Zimet emphasized that as long as abortion is banned or restricted in many states, people will always need or prefer to travel for in-person care. However, for those who can access or prefer telehealth care, it can relieve a huge burden, and be crucial for access.
Some patients also use telehealth in states with non-banned abortion but which have in-person dispensing requirements, because they prefer remote appointments. Abortion medication has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) up to 10 weeks of pregnancy, though evidence shows it can be effective when used off-label up to and after 12 weeks.
While shield laws have provided legal protection for providers, they are now being tested in court as Texas has taken civil actions against doctors in New York and California. The FDA is considering imposing restrictions on telehealth prescriptions of mifepristone, even though it’s highly effective and safer than Tylenol. Several states have filed lawsuits against the federal government to challenge these rules.
The complexity of accessing reproductive healthcare is greater than ever due to the patchwork of laws across the country. Maddow-Zimet stated that it’s crucial for people to have multiple routes of access to abortion, whether that’s through telehealth or travel, because people’s individual situations are so unique.
—
Read More Health & Wellness News ; US News