Ohio abortion data shows access is important
Press Release | October 1, 2024
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Today, the Ohio Department of Health released the annual Induced Abortions in Ohio report, which showed that 22,000 people received abortion care in calendar year 2023. 13% of those patients were from out of state, up from 7% in 2022, showing the harmful impact of abortion bans in neighboring states. This is the first full year of the report following the fall of Roe v. Wade, the first year following the 82-day clinic shut down in 2022 following the Dobbs decision from the US Supreme Court, and the data from the year when Ohio voters were considered and overwhelmingly passed Issue 1, the Ohio Reproductive Freedom Amendment.
Reacting to the new data, Abortion Forward Executive Director Kellie Copeland said: “When tens of thousands of people access abortion care, it shows how critically important it is to protect access to trusted providers. This report comes as Ohioans are considering two votes that will either secure or derail the progress we gained last year: we must flip the Supreme Court of Ohio and also reelect Sen. Sherrod Brown. Both are necessary to make sure the Ohio Reproductive Freedom Amendment is upheld when challenges reach the state high court and to prevent horrible candidates like Bernie Moreno from voting for a federal abortion ban.”
On the influx of abortion patients traveling from outside Ohio, Copeland added: “Every American deserves access to a trusted abortion provider in their own community. When government fails them by banning it in one state, it’s incredibly important for providers in neighboring states to step in and make sure care is accessible. Thanks to voters and the dedicated staff at clinics across Ohio, we are a safe haven for the 1 in 3 women who now live in a state where abortion is banned or severely restricted. We must elect Kamala Harris as president so that she can sign a bill restoring abortion rights across the country, so these patients can get the care they need close to home.”
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