Abortions in Florida plunge after six-week ban takes effect

Clinician-provided abortions plunged in Florida after its six-week abortion ban took effect in May, new estimates from Guttmacher's Monthly Abortion Provision Study show.

Why it matters: The steep decline is a measure of how the state's six-week window limits access to reproductive health care.

By the numbers: Florida averaged 8,050 clinician-provided abortions per month in the first three months of 2024. It sank to about 5,630 in May and 5,200 in June, per the Guttmacher Institute. That's a drop of 35%.

• In April, before the six-week ban took effect, the number of abortions rose to 9,730 — a 21% increase.
• Abortion data can show seasonal patterns, the Guttmacher Institute notes, but states without a ban did not experience the sharp increases and steep declines that Florida did.

The intrigue: Georgia, South Carolina and Texas saw sharper declines than Florida after their bans took effect.

• Experts attribute this to the gap between the passage of Florida's law and its implementation.

What they're saying: "Our data paint a vivid picture of the chaos and confusion caused by Florida's six-week abortion ban," says Isaac Maddow-Zimet, Guttmacher data scientist.

• "Obtaining an abortion in Florida has become much more difficult, with far-reaching implications for Florida residents who now have to cross multiple state lines to get an abortion," he adds.