As abortion travel declines, telehealth becomes more common option [View all]
Source: Scripps News
Posted 1:57 PM, Mar 24, 2026
Fewer pregnant women in states with abortion bans traveled out of state to terminate their pregnancies, a new report from the Guttmacher Institute indicates.
According to the report, 62,000 women who reside in states with abortion bans crossed state lines to obtain an abortion in 2025, down from 74,000 the year before. Women in those states, however, were more likely to use telehealth. The report found that 91,000 women in those states used telehealth to terminate a pregnancy, up from 72,000 the previous year.
There are 13 states in the U.S. with total abortion bans and an additional six with near-total bans. Illinois was a common destination for those seeking out-of-state care. In 2025, about 32,000 abortions were performed in Illinois for out-of-state residents. Another common destination was North Carolina, which saw about 18,000 such patients.
The report also found a slight uptick in abortions in recent years. In 2025, there were 1.126 million abortions performed in the U.S., up from 1.124 million in 2024. However, those numbers remain below the historic peak of about 1.6 million annually in the early 1990s. The findings suggest that the 2022 Supreme Court ruling allowing states to more strictly regulate abortion has not reduced the overall number of abortions. Instead, it has shifted how some women obtain them.
Read more: https://www.scrippsnews.com/politics/abortion/as-abortion-travel-declines-telehealth-becomes-more-common-option
Link to Guttmacher Institute REPORT - Full-Year Estimates Show Overall Stability in Abortion Incidence, Decreased Travel and Increased Telehealth Provision
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