Abortions reported later in pregnancy following statewide bans

Abortions reported later in pregnancy following statewide bans | Image Credit: © Parilov - © Parilov - stock.adobe.com.

The odds of undergoing abortion later in pregnancy are increased 2-fold in women residing in states with abortion bans, according to a recent study published in the American Journal of Public Health on June 25, 2025.¹

Travel time and pregnancy duration increased

Alongside a significant increase in second-trimester abortion bans, the data also highlighted a sharp rise in travel time and the prevalence of overnight stays. In comparison, carrying an unwanted pregnancy to term was reported in only 3% of participants.¹

“Banning abortion doesn’t eliminate the need, it just forces people to travel farther and wait longer,” said Diana Greene Foster, PhD, senior study author and professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences at the University of Carolina, San Francisco.¹

States with abortion bans

Abortion bans were implemented in 14 states following the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision in 2022: Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Nearly 3 years later, the survey was conducted to compare experience of people seeking abortion care before vs after the bans.²

Self-administered surveys were provided to 855 individuals across the US states with abortion bans currently in place. Comparisons of travel by ban status were made using bivariate analyses.²

Findings on travel and costs

Travelling to another state to undergo abortion was reported by 81% of patients contacting a clinic or call center following an abortion ban. A significant increase in travel time was reported among these patients, with a mean of 11.3 hours vs 2.8 hours among preban travelers.²

Additionally, postban travelers more often traveled by bus, train, or airplane, and less often by driving. Overnight stays were also increased among this population, at 58% after bans vs 5% before bans.²

Increases in mean travel cost were reported, alongside mean pregnancy duration. Before the bans, averages were $179 and 7.7 weeks, respectively, vs $372 and 8.8 weeks, respectively, after the bans.²

Implications

Finally, the proportion of abortions occurring at 13 weeks’ gestation or later were 8% vs 17% before and after the bans, respectively. This highlighted significant impacts of statewide abortion bans on travel burdens, costs, and delays in abortion.²

“As we mark the third anniversary of the Dobbs decision this week, it continues to be clear that abortion bans cause harm,” said Foster.¹

Supporting data

This data is support by a study presented earlier this year at the 2025 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Annual Clinical and Scientific Meeting.³ The trial assessed changes in the abortion landscape of North Carolina, highlighting delays and disparities in care.

The analysis included 49,366 abortions performed before Dobbs and 65,343 performed after. The latter cohort had a significantly increased rate of patients travelling to North Carolina from out-of-state for abortion care, at 38% vs 17% in the pre-Dobbs group.³

Investigators noted that North Carolina has become a key destination to undergo abortion among patients residing in surrounding states with harsher restrictions. This indicates the state is currently a regional access point for abortion care after the Dobbs decision.³

"Preliminary findings demonstrate a new pattern of abortion travel to North Carolina from other states in the Southeast, with significant racial and ethnic disparities," wrote the study authors.³

References

1. How state bans increase costs and delay abortion care. University of Carolina San Francisco. June 26, 2025. Accessed July 1, 2025. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1089145.
2. Berglas NF, Barnes JT, Gonzalez E, Peters L, Foster DG. Changes in abortion access, travel, and costs since the implementation of state abortion bans, 2022–2024. American Journal of Public Health. 2025. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2025.308191
3. Ebert M. Post-Dobbs abortion access in North Carolina shows delays, increased out-of-state travel, and disparities. Contemporary OB/GYN. May 18, 2025. Accessed July 1, 2025. https://www.contemporaryobgyn.net/view/post-dobbs-abortion-access-in-north-carolina-shows-delays-increased-out-of-state-travel-and-disparities.