New Report Says U.S. Abortions Held at About 1.1 Million in 2025 Despite State Bans
A new Guttmacher Institute report released Tuesday estimates that clinicians provided about 1,126,000 abortions in the U.S. in 2025, essentially unchanged from 2024 despite a wave of state bans and restrictions after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. Researchers attribute the stability largely to telemedicine abortions made possible after the FDA allowed mifepristone to be prescribed without in‑person visits in 2023 and to “shield laws” in supportive states that protect providers who mail pills into states with bans. The data show that more people in restriction states now obtain abortions via telehealth while cross‑border travel for in‑person procedures has declined, suggesting enforcement efforts are being partially routed around rather than reducing overall procedure numbers. The article includes the account of a 27‑year‑old Atlanta woman who, after missing Georgia’s six‑week cutoff, obtained mifepristone and misoprostol by mail from a Massachusetts telemedicine service, underscoring how state maternal‑mortality concerns and convenience are shaping patient choices. Anti‑abortion groups, frustrated that bans have not cut national totals, are backing lawsuits and federal legislation aimed at forcing the FDA to end mail distribution of mifepristone, setting up another front in the national legal fight over abortion access.
đź“Ś Key Facts
- Guttmacher Institute estimates 1,126,000 clinician‑provided abortions in the U.S. in 2025, essentially unchanged from 2024 (about 1.1 million).
- The FDA in 2023 allowed mifepristone to be prescribed without an in‑person visit, helping enable telemedicine abortion services that mail pills to patients.
- States with abortion rights have enacted shield laws protecting providers who prescribe and ship abortion medication into states with bans, reducing the need for interstate travel.
- The report finds that in states with restrictions, more abortions are now occurring via telemedicine while fewer patients are traveling across state lines for care.
- Anti‑abortion advocates are pursuing lawsuits and a congressional bill to block the mailing of mifepristone, seeking to undercut this telehealth workaround.
đź“Š Relevant Data
In 2022, Non-Hispanic Black women accounted for 41.0% of reported legal induced abortions in the United States, while representing approximately 13% of the U.S. female population; Non-Hispanic White women accounted for 30.2% (approximately 58% of the population); Hispanic women accounted for 21.8% (approximately 19% of the population).
Abortion Surveillance — United States, 2022 — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
In 2023, the maternal mortality rate for non-Hispanic Black women in the United States was 50.3 deaths per 100,000 live births, compared to 14.5 for non-Hispanic White women and 17.2 for Hispanic women.
Maternal Mortality Rates in the United States, 2023 — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
In states with effective abortion bans as of 2024, the population of reproductive-age females (15-49 years) was 18.8% Black, 18.8% Hispanic, and 55.5% White, compared to the national averages of approximately 13% Black, 19% Hispanic, and 58% White.
Race and Ethnicity of Reproductive-Age Females Affected by US State Abortion Bans — JAMA Network
Leading causes of maternal deaths in the United States in 2023 included cardiovascular conditions, infection, and hemorrhage, with Black women experiencing higher rates potentially linked to factors such as pre-existing conditions and delayed prenatal care.
Maternal Mortality in the U.S Declined, though Disparities in the Black Population Persist — Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health
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