October 2 marked an important milestone for the pro-life movement: the 100-day mark since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision that had legalized abortion through all nine months of pregnancy. And in the 100 days since the end of Roe, at least 66 clinics across 15 states have stopped providing abortions, according to a new report from the pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute.
The report indicates that 40 of the 66 clinics are still offering services other than abortion, while 26 have completely closed. The closed clinics are located in states that enacted total abortion bans post-Roe, with the exception of Georgia, which prohibits abortion after a heartbeat is detected, though the law contains exceptions for cases of rape, incest, and medical emergencies. Currently, there are no providers offering abortions in 14 of the 15 states.
“Prior to Roe being overturned, these 15 states had 79 clinics that provided abortion care,” said Rachel Jones, a principal research scientist at Guttmacher. “We found that 100 days later, this was down to 13.”
The states include Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The 14 states with total abortion bans accounted for 125,780 abortions in 2020 and 41,620 abortions were obtained in Georgia in 2020.
According to the report, anecdotal evidence reveals that the closure of the facilities has resulted in women traveling to other states to obtain abortions, increasing caseload and clinic capacity. More closures are expected in the months ahead as states continue to enact abortion restrictions.
“Guttmacher expects that as many as 26 states are ultimately going to ban abortion. So I can say with confidence, it’s going to get worse, unfortunately,” Jones said.
As Live Action News has reported, the overturning of Roe v. Wade was not the end — it is just the beginning. While the closure of the 26 abortion facilities and end of abortion at 66 marks a major step forward in the defense of the lives of our nation’s preborn children, more needs to be done, even as online abortion pill businesses expand.
As brick-and-mortar abortion businesses close their doors, many organizations and individuals are stepping up to the plate to ensure women receive the resources they need to not only avoid abortion, but to thrive after the birth of a child.
For example, Live Action News recently reported that pro-lifers in Wisconsin — one of the 15 states where abortion businesses have closed — are advocating for paid family leave as one avenue to assist new mothers and families.
The steps taken by pro-lifers in Wisconsin to enact paid family leave legislation is representative of the work the entire pro-life movement now faces in a post-Roe world. Not only are pro-life activists pushing to end abortion, they are also strongly advocating for the resources women and families need to flourish.
