“The abortion rate is holding steady in the US despite total and partial bans in some states – largely because of travel across state lines and a significant increase in telehealth appointments, a new report says.”

“US regulatory officials are weighing changes to the ways mifepristone, an abortion medication, may be dispensed, but they have reportedly pushed their review until after the midterm elections, given the widespread support for abortion across the US.”

“There’s also a shift away from traveling and toward telehealth, in which providers may prescribe mail-order pills.”

“One major change in this report is the provision of telehealth for patients in states with total bans – with clinicians in states such as New York or Massachusetts, which have shield laws to protect providers, seeing and prescribing remotely to patients living in states such as Texas or Alabama.”

“Shield laws have been 'extremely important' for protecting providers and increasing access, said Joanne Rosen, a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and co-director of its Center for Law and the Public’s Health.”

“But the total number of people who traveled for abortions from states with bans last year, 62,000, was still more than double the number of people who traveled from those states before the Dobbs decision.”

“The estimates for 2025 come from clinician data, and do not include fully self-managed abortions, which means the true number is likely higher.”