Abortion Providers Discuss State of Abortion Access One Month Post Fall of Roe v. Wade

Planned Parenthood releases new data on patient care and education, advocacy efforts, and grassroots enthusiasm since Supreme Court decision 

Fact Sheet in English; Spanish 

Washington, D.C. — Today, Planned Parenthood abortion providers from across the United States held a press call to discuss the current abortion access landscape one month following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v Wade, which ended the federal constitutional right to abortion. Since the ruling, 14 states have abortion bans in effect, with more expected in the coming days and weeks. On the call, Planned Parenthood officials also released new data detailing the devastating impact on patients now forced to flee their home states for abortion care, the worsening strain on providers in access point states, the increased demand for sexual and reproductive health information and forms of effective contraception, and the continued enthusiastic response from a broad coalition of abortion rights supporters. 

During today’s media event, Planned Parenthood officials detailed the extent to which providers, abortion fund managers, and health center staff are working to ensure patients can receive the care and information they need to stay healthy and maintain control of their reproductive futures.  The demand for sexual and reproductive health care and medically-accurate information has spiked dramatically in the days and weeks following the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization (JWHO), as people seek to maintain control of their reproductive futures while anti-abortion politicians and activists continue to sow misinformation for political gain. The data released today includes:

• On June 24, Planned Parenthood’s sexual health education chatbot, Roo, experienced twice the normal number of questions about birth control.
• On June 24, traffic to Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s web page on how to get a sterilization procedure increased by 2,205%, and remains up by more than 300% through July 21.
  • Traffic to PPFA’s web page about how to get a vasectomy increased by more than 1,500% on June 24, and remains up by more than 200% through July 21. 
• **On June 24, the number of birth control appointments scheduled increased by more than 150%. For the period ending July 21, birth control appointments remained up by 15% compared to the rest of the year.
• **On June 24, the number of emergency contraception appointments scheduled increased by 48%.
• **On June 24, scheduling of appointments specifically for intrauterine devices (IUDs) increased by more than 375%. For the period ending July 21, they remained up by 30% compared to the rest of the year.

“The overturning of Roe v. Wade robs us all of our right to control our bodies and personal health care decisions — and gives that power to politicians,” said Danika Severino Wynn, CNM, Vice President of Abortion Access at Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “While the impact is unsurprising, it has been nothing short of fierce. Already, millions of Americans live in states where they cannot access safe, legal abortion. Let’s be clear: The chaos, confusion, and devastation we are now seeing on the ground is exactly the environment anti-abortion rights politicians have worked for decades to create. Instead of using their position to meet the needs of children and families in their communities, they are focused on their agenda to strip people of their bodily autonomy. And they’re not done — their ultimate goal is to pass a national abortion ban. Our nation’s court and state politicians are clearly out of step with the will of the American people.”

“In South Carolina, abortion is currently banned after about six weeks of pregnancy, which is only about two weeks after a missed period and before many people even know they’re pregnant,” said Dr. Katherine Farris, Chief Medical Officer at Planned Parenthood South Atlantic. “Last month, we provided abortion care to almost 100 patients from South Carolina in our North Carolina and Virginia health centers. Just in the first two weeks of July, we saw that number more than double. Our contact center received more than 9,000 calls in the first week after the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, and they are continuing to receive roughly 7,500 per week, which represents a 20% increase in calls. Not only is this unconscionable, it is completely unnecessary.”

“There is no situation in which a person should be forced to carry a pregnancy against their will,” said Dr. Meera Shah, Chief Medical Officer at Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic. “We know the physical, mental, and financial harm that being denied an abortion can cause. We also know that young people, people with low incomes, and those from Black, Latino, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, and other communities historically targeted by racism, bias, and discrimination suffer disproportionately from abortion bans and restrictions. That’s why I remain committed to pushing back at every turn against this environment where patient care is being dictated by cruel, anti-abortion policies aimed at eliminating abortion care altogether.”

In the month after the fall of Roe v. Wade, Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood affiliates are continuing to expand and protect access to sexual and reproductive health services through advocacy, litigation, and education. Reproductive rights organizations and allies, including PPFA, the Center for Reproductive Rights, and ACLU  have active litigation in 17 states and have successfully blocked bans in six states thus far. A full version of Planned Parenthood’s newly released “By the Numbers: One Month into a Post Roe America” fact sheet can be found here in English and here in Spanish.

** Note: This does not reflect data from all Planned Parenthood health centers, as not all use the same appointment scheduling system.

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Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable sexual and reproductive health care for all people, as well as the nation’s largest provider of sex education. With more than 600 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood organizations serve all patients with care and compassion, with respect, and without judgment, striving to create equitable access to health care. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable education and information that allows people to make informed health decisions. We do all this because we care passionately about helping people lead healthier lives. Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that supports the independently incorporated Planned Parenthood affiliates operating health centers across the U.S.