In 2023 171,000 Women Traveled Across State Lines for Abortions


The New York Times has plotted on an electronic map the patterns of travel by women to have abortions. In a few cases, like North Dakota, laws against abortion had no effect because the only ND clinic moved a few minutes away in Minnesota. Across the South, however, huge numbers traveled hundreds or thousands of miles to Illinois and other states. 

We know the cost of this travel was covered by a combination of the women patients and grants from organizations which raise funds for this purpose. I send money regularly to these organizations. 

It's helpful to note the percentage of abortions that happen after travel to other states. Nationally, there were more abortions performed in 2023 than there were in 2022. It was a little over a million. This means about 17% of women who needed abortions traveled to other states. It has always been the observation of women who need abortions that they are determined to find them. Certainly, this seems to be the case since the overturn of Roe. It's always been the case that a few women who are surprised by a pregnancy first decide to get an abortion then decide to give birth. This must have happened in some anti-abortion states after Roe just as it did when Roe was the law. Yet, laws against abortion did not alter in any significant way the need for or number of abortions performed. 

For many decades, Forced Birth organizations have spent millions of dollars on billboards and advertising of all kinds telling the public, "Abortion is murder." If all those dollars had an impact on the thinking of women, we would have seen a drop in abortions in 2023. The millions were wasted.

Forced Birth people, the country's most gullible political group, will no doubt keep sending money to pay for useless advertisements. While the money for this purpose accomplishes nothing in terms of persuading the public, it helps the Forced Birth world feel it is doing something important. 

For the rational in the U.S., we need to keep donating to funds which help women travel to get abortions. This money is needed until the country comes to its senses about this medical service needed by women.

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