Too early to tell impact of abortion amendment, advocates say following new report

Total number drops while number of out-of-state residents seeking the procedure continues to climb
The total number of abortions were down in Ohio after the first full year of the constitutional amendment protecting the right. But local leaders on both sides of the debate say it's too early to tell what the actual impact will be. MICHAEL D. PITMAN/STAFF

Credit: Michael D. Pitman

Credit: Michael D. Pitman

The total number of abortions were down in Ohio after the first full year of the constitutional amendment protecting the right. But local leaders on both sides of the debate say it's too early to tell what the actual impact will be. MICHAEL D. PITMAN/STAFF
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Opposing sides in the abortion debate say it’s too early to tell what impact the 2023 amendment to the Ohio Constitution guaranteeing a right to the procedure will actually have on abortion rates despite an annual report that shows they declined since the legislation was enacted.

A total of 21,829 induced pregnancy terminations were reported in Ohio for 2024, a decline of 171 from the previous year, according to the Induced Abortions in Ohio 2024 Report recently released by the Ohio Department of Health.

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The figures came as a surprise to Margie Christie, director of advocacy for Dayton Right to Life.

“We all across the state, the Right to Life groups, expected the numbers to be higher,” Christie said.

Christie said it’s possible the decline is a result of multiple factors including the temporary closure of some facilities during the reporting period, and the availability of medications online, which would not require disclosure to the annual report.

“It could be a lot more women are getting the pills themselves,” Christie said.

What’s she’s most concerned about is the rise in the number of people coming from out of state.

About 14.4% of all abortions — or 3,133 — were for out-of-state residents, according to the recently-released report on abortions in Ohio in 2024.

That was up from 2,771 (12.6%) in 2023 and 1,287 (7.0%) in 2022 when Roe V. Wade was overturned and the abortion laws were determined on a state-by-state level.

Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia have near-total abortion bans.

“We’ve become the abortion destination state,” Christie said.

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Maya McKenzie, director of communications for Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio Region, said they’re waiting to see what ultimately will happen as advocacy groups continue facing legal and legislative hurdles in spite of Ohio voters approving the constitutional amendment by a clear margin, 56.78% to 43.22%.

“What’s disappointing is it’s still in the courts,” McKenzie said.

A bill requiring women in Ohio to be informed of the physical and mental risks associated with abortion and the other options available to them at least 24 hours before a procedure is in committee in the Ohio House.

A law requiring a 24-hour waiting period before an abortion remains on the books, though it was blocked by a judge’s ruling in August last year after the passage of the amendment.

“It’s not out of the realm of possibility that (numbers) can go up,” McKenzie said.

Percentage of induced abortions by county:

  • Montgomery 15.9%
  • Cuyahoga 28.3%
  • Franklin 19.5%
  • Hamilton 19.1%
  • Summit 12.3%
  • Lucas 4.4%
  • Athens 0.1%

Source: Induced Abortions in Ohio 2024 Report Ohio Department of Health Bureau of Vital Statistics

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About the Author

Michael Kurtz is a business reporter focused on the health industry and retail for the Dayton Daily News.