The abortion rate is holding steady in the US despite total and partial bans in some states – largely because of travel across state lines and a significant increase in telehealth appointments, a new report says. “Essentially, these shield laws allow people to get around the effect of their own state’s abortion ban,” Rosen said. Nationally, 142,000 people traveled across state lines for abortion care in 2025 – a decline from 154,000 in 2024 and from 170,000 in 2023. Nearly half of the people traveling for abortions were residents of states with total bans. Even before the Dobbs decision and subsequent bans, people often didn’t have a good sense of their state’s abortion laws until they needed the care, Maddow-Zimet said.

Source: The Guardian March 29, 2026 20:00 UTC