Abortion Incidence

•Approximately 862,320 abortions occurred in the United States in 2017. The resulting abortion rate of 13.5 abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age (15–44) represents an 8% decrease from the 2014 rate of 14.6.[1]

•In 2017, 7,710 abortions were provided in Indiana, though not all abortions that occurred in Indiana were provided to state residents: Some patients may have traveled from other states, and some Indiana residents may have traveled to another state for an abortion. There was a a 6% decline in the abortion rate in Indiana between 2014 and 2017, from 6.3 to 5.9 abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age. Abortions in Indiana represent 0.9% of all abortions in the United States.[1]

Where Patients Obtain Abortions

•In 2017, there were 1,587 facilities providing abortion in the United States, representing a 5% decrease from the 1,671 facilities in 2014. Sixteen percent of facilities in 2017 were abortion clinics (i.e., clinics where more than half of all patient visits were for abortion), 35% were nonspecialized clinics, 33% were hospitals and 16% were private physicians' offices. Sixty percent of all abortions were provided at abortion clinics, 35% at nonspecialized clinics, 3% at hospitals and 1% at physicians' offices.[1]

•There were 9 facilities providing abortion in Indiana in 2017, and 6 of those were clinics. These numbers represent a 33% decline in clinics from 2014, when there were 11 abortion-providing facilities overall, of which nine were clinics.[1]

•In 2017, 89% of U.S. counties had no clinics providing abortions. Some 38% of reproductive-age women lived in those counties and would have had to travel elsewhere to obtain an abortion.[1] Of patients who had an abortion in 2014, one-third had to travel more than 25 miles one way to reach a facility.[2]

•In 2017, some 96% of Indiana counties had no clinics that provided abortions, and 70% of Indiana women lived in those counties.[1]

Restrictions on Abortion

In Indiana, the following restrictions on abortion were in effect as of June 28, 2022:

• A patient must receive state-directed counseling that includes information designed to discourage the patient from having an abortion, and then wait 18 hours before procedure is provided. Counseling must be provided in person and must take place before the waiting period begins, thereby necessitating two trips to the facility.
• Private insurance policies cover abortion only in cases of life endangerment, rape, incest or if the woman's health is severely compromised, unless individuals purchase an optional rider at an additional cost.
• Health plans offered in the state’s health exchange under the Affordable Care Act can only cover abortion in cases of life endangerment, severely compromised physical health, or in cases of rape or incest.
• Abortion is covered in insurance policies for public employees only in cases of life endangerment, rape or incest, or severely compromised health, unless an individual purchases an optional rider at an additional cost.
• The use of telemedicine to administer medication abortion is prohibited and medication abortion cannot be administered after 10 weeks of pregnancy.
• The parent of a minor must consent before an abortion is provided.
• Public funding is available for abortion only in cases of life endangerment, rape, incest, or when the procedure is necessary to prevent long-lasting damage to the patient's physical health.
• A patient must undergo an ultrasound before obtaining an abortion; the provider must offer the patient the option to view the image.
• An abortion may be performed at 20 or more weeks postfertilization (22 weeks after the last menstrual period) only in cases of life or severely compromised physical health. This law is based on the assertion, which is inconsistent with scientific evidence and has been rejected by the medical community, that a fetus can feel pain at that point in pregnancy.
• The state requires abortion clinics to meet unnecessary and burdensome standards related to their physical plant, equipment and staffing.