Abortion Rate Falls Significantly in South Carolina After State Ban
The number of abortions carried out in South Carolina has exhibited a sharp drop of about 80% due to the imposition of the state’s six-week abortion ban in August 2023, according to recent state data.
Change in Abortion Rates
Prior to the ban’s enactment, when abortions were lawful for the first 5 1⁄2 months of pregnancy in South Carolina, hospitals and clinics provided 7,397 abortions, implying an average of approximately 954 monthly abortions. These figures were taken from data provided by the Department of Health and Environmental Control. Following the implementation of the August 2023 U.S. Supreme Court’s ban, the number of abortions performed for the remainder of the year totaled 790, averaging about 186 per month.
Impact on Women Seeking Abortions
According to Vicki Ringer, director of public affairs at Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, “The abortion ban, enforced by South Carolina politicians, has not changed the number of abortions for South Carolina women, it’s just changed geography,” she mentioned. “They’re now compelled to travel out of state at great expense, consuming much time and enduring unnecessary hardships to obtain the abortion they want.”
Ringer also pointed out the likelihood of more abortions occurring across the state that are undetected by data due to the proliferation of medication abortion, such as the abortion pill mifepristone.
Protection of Abortion Medication
The U.S. Supreme Court recently defended the abortion pill mifepristone after anti-abortion groups attempted to secure its banning. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Food and Drug Administration’s rules on abortion medication on Thursday. A report from the Associated Press suggested that mifepristone accounted for nearly two-thirds of all U.S. abortions conducted last year.
Conclusion
The introduction of the six-week abortion ban in South Carolina in August 2023 has led to a significant decrease in the number of abortions in the state. Women are now forced to travel out of state under challenging conditions to obtain abortions, leading to an undocumented rise in abortions performed via medication. The legal battle surrounding abortion continues, with the recent approval by the U.S. Supreme Court of the Food and Drug Administration’s rules on abortion medication.
