WASHINGTON – According to research published by JAMA Network Open, since the Supreme Court’s decision on abortion rights, women have been traveling from Texas and other states to seek care, as reported by the University of Washington Medicine.
The study, which tracked the number of abortions performed at Cedar River Clinics in Washington state before and after the 2022 Dobbs decision, revealed a significant increase in out-of-state patients, particularly from Texas and Alaska.
Researchers documented a 50% rise in out-of-state patients, with an average one-week delay in care for all individuals seeking abortion services.
“While one week delay does not sound significant, any delays in receiving abortion care are problematic because it adversely affects the health of the pregnant person,” said Dr. Emily Godfrey, UW Medicine family medicine doctor and OB-GYN and the paper’s senior author. The study’s lead author, Taylor Riley, a University of Washington graduate student in the Department of Epidemiology, added context.
“This has concerning health and economic implications because delayed abortion care is associated with increased risk of complications and negative mental health impacts, and later abortion care is more expensive,” she said.
The analysis compared abortion procedure numbers from January 1, 2017, through June 23, 2022, with those from June 24, 2022, through July 31, 2023. Before the Dobbs decision, many out-of-state patients came from Alaska, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and Texas. Post-Dobbs, the demographic shifted, with Texas and Alaska representing most out-of-state patients.
Interestingly, post-Dobbs, more out-of-state patients opted for procedural abortions rather than medication, potentially due to concerns about returning home to states with restricted abortion access.
The study encompassed 18,379 abortions from January 1, 2017, to July 31, 2023, with 3,378 occurring in the post-Dobbs study period. Washington state, with its longstanding laws protecting abortion rights and accessibility, has become a haven for individuals seeking abortions, especially after 12 weeks.
Riley stressed the need for increased investment and resources for abortion care in Washington state, including expanding abortion-providing facilities and enhancing primary care, telehealth accessibility, financial support, and referral systems.
