Colorado's Lax Abortion Laws Draw Record Numbers of Out-of-State Pregnant Women
Colorado has emerged as an "abortion destination" for a staggering number of women from across the country, regardless of their economic or racial background. The state's lenient or non-existent abortion laws have made it an attractive option for tens of thousands of women seeking the procedure. The numbers have soared to record-breaking levels, raising concerns about the impact of Colorado's liberal abortion laws.
Since 2020, the number of out-of-state women coming to Colorado for abortions has more than tripled.
Between 2021 and 2023, the percentage of out-of-state procedures has more than doubled. In 2023 alone, approximately 4,200 patients traveled to Colorado from other states for abortions, accounting for nearly 30 percent of the state's total of about 14,400 procedures, according to provisional data from the state health department. Final numbers are expected to be released by the end of February.
Dr. Nancy Fang of the Comprehensive Women's Health Clinic revealed that patients primarily come from Texas, but also from other states with restrictive abortion laws. However, the number of patients traveling from Texas decreased towards the end of 2023, as more sought health centers in Nevada and New Mexico.
Supporters believe this shift occurred because the demand for care in Colorado was reaching capacity. Despite the dispersion of patients in Colorado, Texas still accounted for approximately 2,800 patients in 2023, compared to just 40 in 2019. The number of patients traveling from Texas to Colorado for abortions has increased a staggering 70 times since 2019.
While patients from other neighboring states with restrictive abortion laws also increased, the volume from Texas dwarfs the numbers from those states.
After states passed abortion restrictions and bans in response to the ruling, nearly one in five patients in the United States now travels out of state for abortion care, compared to one in ten in 2020.
Many patients are coming from states with stricter abortion laws, this suggests that women are seeking abortions in later stages of pregnancy, potentially due to the availability of late-term abortion services in Colorado.
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Data from the state indicates that 73 percent of all terminations of pregnancy took place at eight weeks of gestation or less, while 12 percent occurred between 9 and 11 weeks. Approximately 15 percent of abortions were performed after 12 weeks, with a decline in numbers as the gestational age increased. A small percentage, around 1 percent of the total, occurred after 28 weeks.
The record-breaking numbers of out-of-state women seeking abortions in Colorado underscore the need for a critical examination of the state's liberal abortion laws. The significant increase in patients traveling from other states highlights the implications of lenient abortion policies and the potential for late-term abortions.
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