Telehealth Abortion Still on the Rise, Especially in States with Shield Laws
Both the overall number of abortions and the use of telehealth abortion care continue to increase in the United States, according to the latest #WeCount report. Telehealth made up 20% of all abortion care in the first three months of 2024, and the monthly total of abortions exceeded 100,000 for the first time since the group began tracking abortion data in 2022.
Growth in Telehealth and Shield Law Access
From January to March 2024, there were about 19,700 telehealth abortions per month, according to the report. Dr. Alison Norris, co-chair of the group, said the use of telehealth has continued to grow, particularly now that five states — New York, Massachusetts, Washington, Vermont and Colorado — specifically shield those who provide telehealth abortions from legal ramifications if they work with patients from states with abortion restrictions. Maine will become the sixth state when its shield law takes effect.
Telehealth abortions provided by clinicians in states with shield laws averaged 9,200 per month from January to March 2024. In the nine months from July 2023 to March 2024, over 65,000 people in states with near-total or six-week bans and states with telehealth restrictions have accessed medication abortion provided under shield laws.
National Data and Statistics
- Total Abortions (January 2024): 102,350
- Average Abortions per Month (Q1 2024): 98,990
- Telehealth Share of Abortion Care: 20%
- Telehealth Abortions via Shield Laws: 9,200 per month
- Growth in Kansas Telehealth Abortions: 59%
Regional Shifts and Barriers to Care
The states with the biggest jumps in the average number of abortions per month compared with the first three months of 2023 include New York, California, Virginia, Kansas and Pennsylvania. Fourteen states in the U.S. have a near-total ban on abortion. Although many people who live in states with near-total bans or six-week bans are able to access abortion via telehealth, the vast majority of abortions still take place in person.
This is in part because medication abortion can only be prescribed via telehealth through 10 weeks’ gestation, and because some people just prefer to be seen in person. Dr. Norris noted that “thousands and thousands of people don’t have access to ordinary and safe health care that’s time-sensitive just because of the state where they live.”
Contributing Factors to the Increase
Norris said the data shows the number of abortions began to rise nationally in 2017. For those who faced financial issues obtaining an abortion, there is more awareness of abortion funds and other sources of support. Furthermore, there’s a lot more information in the ecosystem, there’s better resources on the internet, and there’s potentially been a destigmatization of abortion, given how much it’s in the media and being talked about by politicians.