Some readers may recall the #WeCount initiative, a national research project on abortion led by the Society of Family Planning. The project aims to document changes in abortion access at the state level following the June 24, 2022, Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.
It is the pro-abortion organization that reported on the significant decline in both the national number of abortions and in Texas. The continued decrease in the number of “expected” abortions must have caused them considerable distress.
The initial data set indicated a decline in the number of abortions following the Supreme Court’s decision. Specifically, there were 10,570 fewer abortions in the two months following the decision compared to pre-Dobbs estimates. This represented a nationwide drop of approximately 6%. In Texas, Teresa Woodard of WFAA-TV reported on the impact of the decision in that state. The headline of the report, which was published in April, stated that 2,770 abortions had been provided in Texas. However, by August, this number had fallen to 10.
The most encouraging statistics have been updated. The CNN headline, “There were 32,000 fewer legal abortions in the six months after the Dobbs decision, new analysis suggests,” is indicative of the trend.
CNN’s Deidre McPhillips writes
In the six months after the Supreme Court ruling that ended the federal right to an abortion, there were about 32,000 fewer abortions than expected in the United States, according to a new analysis.
There were about 5,000 fewer legal abortions each month, on average, than there were in the months before the ruling – a drop of about 6%.
In April and May, there were an average of about 82,000 abortions each month, according to the analysis. From July through December, that fell to an average of 77,000 abortions per month. The total number of abortions fluctuated month-to-month, but was always lower than it was in April.
It is evident that the majority of the decline was observed in states that enacted new pro-life legislation or had existing laws that were “triggered” upon the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Daniel Miller is responsible for nearly all of National Right to Life News' political writing.
With the election of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency, Daniel Miller developed a deep obsession with U.S. politics that has never let go of the political scientist. Whether it's the election of Joe Biden, the midterm elections in Congress, the abortion rights debate in the Supreme Court or the mudslinging in the primaries - Daniel Miller is happy to stay up late for you.
Daniel was born and raised in New York. After living in China, working for a news agency and another stint at a major news network, he now lives in Arizona with his two daughters.
