Since the reversal of Roe v. Wade, several states have passed pro-life protections, while others have doubled down on their pro-abortion measures. And it now appears, based on research from a noted pro-abortion organization, that some of those extremely pro-abortion states are the ones who were already responsible for a high percentage of the nation’s total abortions.
In 2020, just two states — California and New York — collectively committed well over 264,000 abortions — or nearly 30% of all abortions reported in the United States. California committed the highest number reported among all states and the District of Columbia (D.C.) in the nation, with New York coming in a close second, according to data published by Planned Parenthood’s former “research arm” and “special affiliate,” the Guttmacher Institute.
In addition, 2020 abortion totals from just five states made up nearly half of all abortions reported in the nation.
National data released by Guttmacher revealed that in 2020, 930,160 abortions were committed nationally — an increase of 67,840 over the 862,320 abortions reported in 2017.
Just five states made up nearly half of reported abortions for 2020
In 2020, state abortion data reported by Guttmacher showed that five states — California, New York, Florida, Texas and Illinois — accounted for nearly half (452,630) of all reported abortions (930,160) for 2020.
In addition, the data also revealed that the total number of abortions in those top five states (452,630) nearly outpaced the remaining states, which each committed less than 50,000 abortions in 2020. This means that California, New York, Florida, Texas, and Illinois (452,630) committed just 25,000 fewer abortions than the rest of the 45 states and the District of Columbia combined (477,570). Texas has since worked to protect most preborn human lives in the state.
Abortions by state (2020) California and New York highest in US (Data: Guttmacher Institute)
California abortions
In 2011, 181,730 abortions were committed in California. At that time, Guttmacher reported that the state had 512 abortion providers; 160 of those were clinics. By 2014, abortions in California had decreased to 157,350 (17.0% of all U.S. abortions), while the abortion rate declined 15% between 2011 and 2014, from 23 to 19.5 abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age, Guttmacher reported. That same year, Guttmacher recorded “512 abortion-providing facilities in California in 2014, and 152 of those were clinics.”
By 2017, abortions decreased again to 132,680 in California (15.4% of all U.S. abortions) when Guttmacher documented 419 abortion providers (93 fewer than 2014) in the state, with 161 of those being clinics. According to Guttmacher, there was “a 16% decline in the abortion rate in California between 2014 and 2017, from 19.5 to 16.4 abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age.”
But between 2017 (132,680) and 2020 (154,060), California abortions began to tick upward, increasing more than 16% in the state.
California abortions 2000 to 2020
In 2020, Guttmacher’s state numbers on abortions (the most currently published data) revealed 154,060 abortions were committed in California, nearly 17% of the national abortions reported to Guttmacher for the same year. The 2020 data also showed that between 2017 and 2020, California’s abortion rate increased over 17% from 2017 to in 2020. Guttmacher has not yet published data on the number of providers and clinics that commit abortions in California.
The 2020 data also shows that California committed the highest number of abortions among each of the 50 individual states and the District of Columbia. In addition, California abortions (154K) exceeded the combined number of abortions committed by 29 states and the District of Columbia (115,140). These include OK, DC, OR, KS, IN, LA, WI, NM, AL, SC, KY, MS, IA, AK, HI, UT, RI, ME, NE, NH, DE, ID, MT, AK, VT, ND, WV, MO, SD, and WY.
One reason for the high numbers could be taxpayer-funded abortion in the state.
Between 2014 and 2020, California taxpayers funded approximately 411,000 abortions, costing nearly $118 million, according to data from the State’s Medi-Cal website. But between 1989 to 2020, the state’s taxpayer-funded abortionshad reached nearly one billion dollars ($785,421,873).
California Medi-Cal FFS taxpayer abortion and expenditures 1989 to 2020
New York abortions
In 2020, abortions committed in New York State totaled 110,360, nearly 12% of all U.S. abortions reported by Guttmacher that same year. This was the second highest recorded number among all 50 states and D.C., second only to California. Guttmacher data from NY may differ slightly from state data, since Guttmacher surveys abortion providers.
In 2020, New York committed nearly the same amount (110,360) of abortions as the combined abortion totals (115,140) of 29 states and the District of Columbia. These include OK, DC, OR, KS, IN, LA, WI, NM, AL, SC, KY, MS, IA, AK, HI, UT, RI, ME, NE, NH, DE, ID, MT, AK, VT, ND, WV, MO, SD, and WY.
Like California, abortions in New York for 2020 have also ticked upward over previous years.
In 2017, Guttmacher recorded 105,380 abortions committed in New York (12.2% of all US abortions), an “11% decline in the abortion rate in New York between 2014 and 2017, from 29.6 to 26.3 abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age,” Guttmacher added. In 2014, there were 119,940 abortions committed in New York (12.9% of all US abortions) which represented “a 13% decline in the abortion rate in New York between 2011 and 2014, from 34.2 to 29.6 abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age,” Guttmacher claimed.
In 2020, New York abortion data also showed that the abortion rate increased nearly 10%, from 2017 to 2020.
Guttmacher’s abortion data lags behind several years, and with the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the U.S. Supreme Court in the Dobbs case, it is likely that abortions will drastically increase in states such as California and New York — which place essentially no restrictions on abortion, funding them with increased taxpayer dollars.
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