The latest Ohio Abortion Report shows an increase in the number of abortions in 2023 over 2022.
There were 22,000 abortions in Ohio in 2023, an increase of 3,512 or nearly 19% from the year before. While most of those seeking abortions in Ohio are residents, the report shows an 80% increase in abortions sought by patients from out of state - from 7% to 12.6%.
“Ohio is becoming a destination state for abortions because the number of women from out of state coming to Ohio to have abortions doubled from the previous year’s report," said Ohio Right to Life president Mike Gonidakis.
Kellie Copeland with Abortion Forward said it’s also important to remember a six-week abortion ban was in place in Ohio for three months in 2022.
“Ohio politicians had outlawed abortion temporarily," Copeland said. "And you can see in this year’s report people who needed access to care were able to get it.”
Who are the abortion patients in Ohio?
The report shows of those getting abortions, 49.8% were Black women.
“The largest population in Ohio having abortions is Black women. 43% of all of the abortion in Ohio as reported by the Ohio Department of Health were performed on single, Black women and they make up less than 13% of our state’s population," Gonidakis said.
The report also shows 87.6% of abortions were performed on women whose pregnancies were at 12 weeks or less, with 63.3% under nine weeks. Only 146 abortions, or .6%, were performed after 21 weeks.
The Ohio abortion total includes 71 girls under 15 years old.
Future of abortion laws in Ohio depend on the courts
Last November, 57% of Ohio voters approved a reproductive rights amendment that guarantees the right to abortion, birth control, IVF, and miscarriage care. It also states that abortion may be prohibited after fetal viability.
But Copeland said this year’s election will determine how laws are interpreted in light of the new amendment.
“It’s not solidified. Not until we get a court that will apply the law that was passed by Ohio voters. And not until we block abortion bans on the federal level. So voters still have work cut out for them and they will do it,” Copeland said.
Abortion has become a big issue in the presidential and U.S. Senate race. Incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) has been running ads saying the amendment is the will of the voters and he'll make sure to vote to protect abortion rights at the federal level. His Republican challenger Bernie Moreno is a staunch opponent of abortion rights and has made some controversial comments that have angered some Republicans as well as some independent voters.
