Citation

Ralph L, Hasselbacher L. J. Adolesc. Health 2023; 73(2): 221-223.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jadohealth.2023.05.002

PMID

37455044

Abstract

Almost a year after the Supreme Court overturned federal protections for abortion in its Dobbs versus Jackson Women's Health Organization decision, the ramifications for abortion access have become clearer. Fourteen states have banned abortion entirely, eight states have bans under litigation, and six states have lowered their gestational threshold for abortion to 20 weeks or less. National data collected monthly from abortion providers indicate that there were more than 32,000 fewer abortions in the 6 months following Dobbs than would be expected based on pre-Dobbs patient volumes. Also, demand for self-managed medication abortion has surged, particularly in states with current and impending bans.

What these data do not yet reveal are the likely outsized impacts of the Supreme Court's decision on adolescents. While restrictions affect all people seeking abortion, young people face additional obstacles, both logistical and legal. For instance, many states require parental involvement in abortion for minors, although we know most young people voluntarily involve trusted adults and an important minority do not involve parents because they are unable to do so. As of May 2023, there are only 14 states where abortion without parental involvement is permitted, and two of these states are Hawaii and Alaska. For minors living in the Southern United States, the closest place where they can obtain an abortion without being forced to involve a parent--New Mexico, Illinois, or the Northeastern United States--is now hundreds of miles away...

Language: en