Abortions increase in 2023 despite Roe v. Wade reversal
Newsy
After over two decades of fewer abortions, the U.S. has recently undergone a surge despite states trying to limit access to procedures and medicine.
According to new data released by the Guttmacher Institute, 2023 marked the highest number of abortions in the U.S. in over a decade.
According to the Guttmacher Institute, abortions topped 1 million for the first time since 2012. In the last few years, the U.S. has reversed a trend of a declining number of abortions.
Abortions peaked at around 1.6 million annually in the early '90s. By 2017, there were an estimated 885,000 abortions.
The increase in abortions came as 2023 was the first full year after Roe v. Wade was overturned. Numerous states have placed significant restrictions on accessing abortions in the wake of a 2022 decision that ended the nationwide right to access an abortion before fetal viability, which is generally before 20-24 weeks.
As many Republican-leaning states looked to limit abortions, the Guttmacher Institute noted that there have been several efforts to make access to abortions easier. For instance, in 2021, the Food and Drug Administration allowed mifepristone to be shipped to patients through the mail.
