A recent study looked into the impacts of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision that has allowed states to severely restrict or ban abortion. The #WeCount study provides valuable insight into how abortion restrictions can limit access to safe and legal procedures.
In the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision in Dobbs v. Jackson's Women's Health Organization, the court upheld a Mississippi law that effectively bans abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy and overturned Roe v. Wade and the constitutional right to abortion. The decision will now allow states to severely restrict or ban abortion altogether. A recent study now sheds light on the potential impact of this ruling and provides valuable insight into how abortion restrictions can limit access to safe and legal procedures.
The #WeCount study, published by the Society of Family Planning, is the largest ever reporting effort that aims to capture the shifts in abortions in the United States. Here are some key findings of the #WeCount study.
- The study has found that telehealth abortions are up, though the overall number of abortions has dropped.
- The declines in the numbers of abortions occurred in the same states with the greatest structural and social inequities in terms of maternal morbidity, mortality, and poverty. Thus, the impact of the Dobbs decision is not equally distributed. People of color and people working to make ends meet have been impacted the most.
- The first #WeCount report estimates that 10,670 fewer people had abortions in the two months after the Dobbs decision than would otherwise have been expected.
- A new study shows over 32,000 fewer abortions in the U.S. in the first six months after Dobbs when compared to the prior year.
- The #WeCount report compared national abortion access data before and after the Dobbs decision. The project reports on the number of abortions per month by state and includes data on abortions provided through clinics, private practices, hospitals, and virtual-only providers. The report does not include data on self-managed abortions that are performed without clinical supervision.
The #WeCount study also highlights the importance of accurate information and support for people who are seeking abortions. The study found that nearly one in three people seeking abortion reported feeling unsure about their decision or facing opposition from others. Providing accurate information, counseling, and support can help people feel more confident in their decision and better prepared for the challenges they may face.
The study also provides valuable insight into the effectiveness of different abortion procedures. The study found that medication abortion was highly effective and safe, with a complication rate lower than that of surgical abortion. Medication abortion, which involves taking two pills to induce a miscarriage, can be provided through telemedicine in some states. This approach can help reduce barriers to access for people who live in areas without nearby abortion clinics.
The #WeCount study provides important insights into how the Supreme Court's upcoming decision in Dobbs v. Jackson's Women's Health Organization could impact abortion access in America. The study shows that many people already face significant barriers to accessing safe and legal abortion services, and it is more important than ever that we provide accurate information, counseling, and support to people seeking abortion and continue to fight for access to safe and legal procedures. Attendees at the Society of Family Annual Meeting can hear more about these findings during the Open Panel session on Friday, October 27th from 4:30pm to 5:45pm ET.
References
Measuring impacts of SB8 in Texas. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. (n.d.-a). https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2023/measuring-impacts-of-sb8-in-texas
The impact of Dobbs on access to abortion. UCLA School of Law. (n.d.). https://law.ucla.edu/events/impact-dobbs-access-abortion
Usha Ranji, K. D., & 2023, J. (2023, August 29). Key facts on abortion in the United States. KFF. https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/report/key-facts-on-abortion-in-the-united-states/
Undark Magazine. (2023, March 21). Inside the post-roe scramble to count abortions. https://undark.org/2023/03/22/inside-the-post-roe-scramble-to-count-abortions/
#wecount: Post-Dobbs Project. ANSIRH. (2022, October 28). https://www.ansirh.org/research/ongoing/wecount-post-dobbs-project
#wecount. Society of Family Planning. (2023, July 26). https://societyfp.org/research/wecount/
Becker, A. (2023, July 27). #wecount: Measuring dobbs’ impact on Abortion Access. Harvard Public Health Magazine. https://harvardpublichealth.org/bench-science/wecount-measuring-dobbs-impact-on-abortion-access/
Becker, A. (2023, July 27). #wecount: Measuring dobbs’ impact on Abortion Access. Harvard Public Health Magazine. https://harvardpublichealth.org/bench-science/wecount-measuring-dobbs-impact-on-abortion-access/
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