MYNORTHWEST NEWS

Washington has become ‘safe haven for people seeking abortions,’ study finds

May 31, 2024, 5:00 AM

Photo: People hold signs and cheer during a protest and rally for abortion rights, Saturday, May 14...

People hold signs and cheer during a protest and rally for abortion rights, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Seattle, Washington. (Photo: Ted S. Warren, AP)

(Photo: Ted S. Warren, AP)

A new study, published in JAMA Network Open this week, has found that since the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade, Washington has seen a 50% increase in out-of-state patients seeking abortions. (A PDF of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs opinion can be viewed here.)

UW Medicine stated the study tracked the number of abortions performed at the Cedar River Clinics, a network of care sites in Washington, both before and after the 2022 Dobbs decision. Researchers reviewed numbers from Jan. 1, 2017, to June 23, 2022, and compared the totals with June 24, 2022, to July 31, 2023 numbers.

The study found there was a total of 18,379 abortions from January 1, 2017, to July 31, 2023. Out of those abortions, 3,378 occurred after the Dobbs decision.

Of those out-of-state patients, 27% are from Texas, 26% are from Alaska and the rest are largely from Idaho, Louisiana and Florida, according to a news release from UW Medicine. Before Dobbs, 52% of out-of-state abortions were from Alaska, 9% from Montana, 8% from Idaho, 6% from Oregon and 6% from Texas

Washington abortion numbers: Patients traveling from Idaho surge

Of the patients the study followed 31% were white, 23% were Black, 14% were Hispanic, and 13% were Asian.

Study also found delays in care for abortion patients

The study also found an average one-week delay in care for all abortion patients. Those who experienced a significant delay included Latina, white and Black individuals.

“While a week delay does not sound significant, any delays in receiving abortion care are problematic because it adversely affects the health of the pregnant person,” UW Medicine family medicine doctor,  OB-GYN and the paper’s senior author Dr. Emily Godfrey stated, according to UW Medicine.

The study’s lead author and UW graduate student in the Department of Epidemiology Taylor Riley added that delays could lead to larger issues.

“This has concerning health and economic implications because delayed abortion care is associated with increased risk of complications and negative mental health impacts, and later abortion care is more expensive,” she said, as reported by UW Medicine.

Washington insurance: Health plan prices may rise; new rule set to begin

Washington allows abortions up to the point of fetal viability or to protect the health of the pregnant individual. Researchers found post-Dobbs, more abortion patients sought procedural abortions, instead of medication, to ensure they were not pregnant with 100% certainty.

UW Medicine cited the study which found Washington has become “a safe haven for people seeking abortions.” Riley added this could lead to expanding the number of abortion-providing centers and strengthening existing abortion care services within the state.

The University of Washington Population Health Initiative funded the study. Godfrey noted next steps would be to gather information from more clinics.

“The next step is to include more abortion facilities in this study to confirm our findings so that we can continue to provide critical information needed to effectively address health disparities related to abortion care in Washington state,” she said, according to UW Medicine.

Julia Dallas is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read her stories here. Follow Julia on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email her here.

MyNorthwest News

Image: The Glen L. Taggart Student Center at Utah State University (USU) can be seen on Wednesday, ...

KSL Newsradio staff

2 Utah universities join growing list forfeiting volleyball matches over transgender controversy

The Utah State University women's volleyball team is joining a list of teams not playing a team that reportedly includes a transgender player.

33 minutes ago

A near collision in Bellevue. (Bellevue, WA police X)...

LEXI HERDA, KIRO 7 NEWS

WATCH: Split-second reaction saves driver from serious crash in Bellevue

The Bellevue Police Department posted video online of the incident that happened Tuesday night, which shows a mini van nearly hit about 12 seconds in.

2 hours ago

Photo: Police investigate a Renton murder after a suspect called 911....

Luke Duecy

Renton murder suspect back in custody after judge increases bail

A murder suspect in Renton who was originally allowed to post $5,000 bail is back in custody after a judge increased his bail amount.

4 hours ago

Photo: Seattle Police are searching for a suspect in the stabbing death of a man in his 50s in Sout...

Luke Duecy

Police looking for person who stabbed man to death in South Seattle

Seattle Police are searching for a suspect in the stabbing death of a man in his 50s in South Seattle's Rainier Valley neighborhood.

5 hours ago

Photo: A Pierce County man was sentenced last week to seven years in prison for drug trafficking an...

Bill Kaczaraba

Former Seattle tech worker sentenced to 30 years in prison for child sexual abuse

A 40-year-old Seattle woman was sentenced to 30 years in prison for five federal felonies related to child sexual abuse.

6 hours ago

Grand Illusion theater...

Bill Kaczaraba

Grand Illusion cinema in Seattle’s U District to relocate

The Grand Illusion cinema is looking for a new home after its current building was sold. Its current schedule runs through January, 2024.

8 hours ago

Washington has become ‘safe haven for people seeking abortions,’ study finds