CINCINNATI — There were 15% fewer abortions in Ohio in 2022 than there were the year before. Researchers and activists say Ohio’s ‘heartbeat law’ is a big part of the reason why.
The data was released by the Ohio Department of Health as part of an annual report on induced abortions in the state. The numbers do not include Ohio residents who obtained abortions across state lines.
“The decline in abortions among Ohio residents is clearly linked to the loss of access,” said University of Cincinnati sociology professor Dr. Danielle Bessett.
Dr. Bessett conducts abortion research with the Ohio Policy Evaluation Network (OPEN), which tracks abortion numbers month by month.
“Once we hit the heartbeat ban, we actually see a real significant drop,” she said.
Ohio’s ‘heartbeat law’ took effect after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last summer. The law bans abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected.
The law was paused by a judge that fall, but researchers and activists on both sides say it had an impact on numbers.
“Women were impacted by the ban,” said Lauren Blauvelt, co-chair of Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights. “We know that having to travel out of state or not being able to travel and not being able to receive the care that you deserve is unacceptable.”
Laura Strietmann, executive director of Greater Cincinnati Right to Life, said the law "saves lives."
“While we can be thrilled that there were fewer abortions, we still grieve the fact that there are so many," she said.
Strietmann also points to other policies as potential reasons for the decline, including 24-hour waiting periods.
Abortion rights are on the ballot in Ohio in November. If voters pass Issue 1, abortion protections would be enshrined in the state constitution.
Whatever voters decide, Bessett expects it will have a big impact on future abortion numbers in Ohio.
“If we see folks in Ohio vote no for constitutional protections of abortion, we will definitely see a decline in access to care,” she said.
On the flip side, if voters approve the measure, Bessett thinks it’s a much more “open question.”
“We know that folks are already coming across state lines from Indiana, from West Virginia, from Kentucky, which are all places right now, where abortion is unavailable,” said Bessett. “So when Ohio becomes the regional center, providing care to folks who are in need, that's really going to put a lot of pressure on Ohio’s system.”
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