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Time of India
23-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
US abortion rates rise three years after Dobbs' new ruling on Roe vs Wade, here's why
Three years after the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade , the U.S. finds itself at the epicenter of a new abortion battle, one that's defying expectations and reshaping the strategies of both pro-life and pro-choice movements. Despite the pro-life victory in the courts, abortion rates have not dropped; instead, they've remained steady or even increased, raising provocative questions about the true impact of legal bans and the future of reproductive rights in America. The next big fight for abortion opponents is the organisation Planned Parenthood, the nation's leading provider and advocate of affordable sexual and reproductive health care, operates nearly 600 health centers across the country. The unexpected rise: Abortion rates defy pro-life predictions Contrary to pro-life hopes, the number of abortions in the U.S. has not declined post-Dobbs. Recent data from the Charlotte Lozier Institute shows over 1.1 million abortions occurred from July 2023 to June 2024, matching or exceeding pre-Dobbs levels. This estimate, based on the most comprehensive aggregation of clinic, hospital, and virtual provider data, highlights a resilient demand for abortion services even as legal landscapes shift. Researchers caution, however, that the true number may be even higher, as the U.S. lacks a federal abortion reporting mandate and medication abortions, especially those facilitated by international mail-order, are difficult to track with precision. The new battlefield: Pills, politics and laws The unexpected resilience of abortion rates is largely driven by the rise of medication abortion . With the FDA's approval for mail-order mifepristone, telehealth and shield laws have enabled access even in states with bans, and up to 20% of abortions in 2024 were provided via telehealth under such protections. This has allowed patients to bypass state restrictions, fueling what pro-life leaders call a "direct assault on the sovereignty of states." Live Events Pro-life advocates are now focusing on new priorities in response to these trends. Their big challenges, they say, include weakening Planned Parenthood, by targeting its funding streams. Restricting access to abortion pills remains a top objective, as does investing in supportive political candidates and ballot initiatives. Some pro-life lawmakers believe there is a strong chance of defunding Planned Parenthood through a broader reconciliation bill in Congress, which would block Medicaid funds for organizations performing abortions except in cases of rape, incest, or threats to the mother's life. Planned Parenthood, responding to these legislative moves, warned in a statement after the bill passed the Republican-led House in May that such provisions would cut off funding for a range of services beyond abortion, potentially forcing about 200 of its 600 locations to close. "If this bill passes, people will lose access to essential, often lifesaving care — cancer screenings, birth control, STI testing, and yes, abortion," the organization said. Meanwhile, other pro-choice groups are leveraging "shield laws" and ballot initiatives to protect and expand access, turning some states into abortion havens while others enforce near-total bans.
Fox News
22-06-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Pro-life movement confronts high abortion rates three years after Dobbs
A 50-year fight to put abortion back in the hands of states ended three years ago with the Supreme Court's landmark Dobbs decision, but the pro-life movement is now grappling with a new reality — abortion remains prevalent. Since securing the legal victory, abortion opponents' concentration has become more fragmented as they contend with evidence that abortions have not decreased and could even be on the rise. Their next big challenges, they say, include neutering the nation's largest abortion vendor, Planned Parenthood, by targeting its funding. Restricting access to pills that terminate pregnancies is another top priority, as is investing in their preferred political candidates and ballot measures. Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of SBA Pro-Life America, told Fox News Digital in an interview that Dobbs prompted a "revolution," but she acknowledged that "there is a lot of work to do." She noted the Charlotte Lozier Institute found that abortions increased in the year after Dobbs and that at least 1.1 million occurred from July 2023 to June 2024. "People can sort of assume or just forget how big a moment [Dobbs] is. . . . It is shaking up and realigning public opinion based on where they really stand, so building consensus," Dannenfelser said. "It would be false to think that it could happen overnight, and we're still right in the middle of it." She said she feels the prospect of defunding Planned Parenthood through a broader reconciliation bill in Congress is "strong." The measure would prohibit Medicaid funds for entities that perform abortions outside of rape, incest, and a threat to a mother's life. Planned Parenthood said in a statement in May, after the bill passed the Republican-led House, that the provision would eliminate other services besides abortion and could cause about 200 of its roughly 600 locations to shutter. "If this bill passes, people will lose access to essential, often lifesaving care — cancer screenings, birth control, STI testing, and yes, abortion," the organization said in a statement at the time. In 2021, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) eliminated a requirement that a customer must appear in person to receive mifepristone, the pill used to end a pregnancy. The pills became available by mail, and they are now being shipped all over the country from various organizations, including to most of the states that have abortion bans in place. "The abortion drugs that are being proliferated by big abortion and Planned Parenthood is a direct assault on the sovereignty of states," Dannenfelser said, noting that "the people of half the states have said this is the pro-life law that we want, so in order to undermine that and press their agenda, the abortion lobby is promoting abortion tourism across state lines." Dannenfelser also said her group, which, alongside its campaign fundraising arm, poured $92 million into the 2024 election cycle, is focused on next year's midterm races. She noted she wants to maintain a "trifecta of pro-life administration, House and Senate." But some of those hoping to eliminate abortion say the current administration could do more to help their bottom line. President Donald Trump granted clemency when he took office to nearly two dozen activists who were convicted of blocking abortion clinic entrances, and the president often touts that he appointed three justices who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade. But in terms of the abortion pill, the Trump administration recently moved to dismiss a case in court aiming to tighten FDA restrictions on mifepristone. Trump has vowed to have Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who is openly supportive of abortion access, conduct a study of the pill. Katie Xavios, the national director of the American Life League, told Fox News Digital that she believes Trump "really hasn't been the staunchest pro-life advocate." She said mifepristone distribution has "no guardrails." Dozens of organizations now offer easy access to the pill. Xavios said abortions-by-mail have become the "wild west," and that the government would have to work aggressively to contain it at this point. "I don't think we'll ever see anybody take that away unless we can really get a very truly pro-life person in office," Xavios said. American Life League is a Catholic grassroots organization, and Xavios said one of her group's efforts is to instill values in children that would lead them to opt against abortion if they were faced with the decision in adulthood. Dobbs was not the win for her side that people have framed it to be, she said. "I think we're still kind of seeing the reverberations of that a little bit in the movement, where a lot of people are struggling to find a new legal fight," Xavios said. "But I think the real issue that we're left with is it doesn't matter if it's legal or not if people don't really respect and value the dignity of the pre-born."
