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Abortions declined in Illinois during 2020, but number of out-of-state women obtaining procedure increased 29 percent

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Illinois

* Angie Leventis Lourgos at the Tribune…

Nearly 10,000 women traveled from out of state to have an abortion in Illinois in 2020, a roughly 29% increase compared with the previous year, according to the most recent Illinois Department of Public Health data available.

State health statistics show 9,686 out-of-state women terminated a pregnancy in Illinois in 2020, comprising about 21% of all 46,243 abortions performed statewide. This was over 2,000 more than the 7,534 women who came here from another state in 2019. State data from 2021 was not available. […]

The number of women crossing state lines to come to Illinois for the procedure has risen every year since 2014. […]

Overall, the total number of abortions in Illinois decreased slightly during the same period, from 46,517 in 2019 to 46,243 in 2020. There was a decline in the number of Illinois residents who terminated a pregnancy, from 38,756 in 2019 to 36,174 in 2020.

Lots more in the story, including a very helpful graph, so click here.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jan 25, 22 @ 1:26 pm

Comments

“Illinois is drastically out of step with the rest of the Midwest,” quotes the article.

Yes. Thankfully, we remain a bulwark for the rights of women and others who need their rights protected.

Comment by Jibba Tuesday, Jan 25, 22 @ 1:42 pm
Man, to hear the either joy of providing the opportunity to abort or lament over providing the opportunity to abort, those numbers are small. Under 10000 woman. In a year. That’s less than 1000 a month. At that rate it won’t help our tourism rates much. I’m glad people can make up their own minds and choose what they want. Just expected higher numbers.

Comment by cermak_rd Tuesday, Jan 25, 22 @ 1:55 pm
So Cermak_rd would suggest increasing the abortion marketing budget?

Comment by Leigh John-Ella Tuesday, Jan 25, 22 @ 1:57 pm
Leigh John-Ella, I was just surprised by the low numbers. Some nutty site has suggested that IL is ramping up abortion tourism. These numbers would seem to contraindicate that.

Comment by cermak_rd Tuesday, Jan 25, 22 @ 2:09 pm
The best way to reduce abortions is via actual education (not abstinence-only puritanical approaches) and wide, affordable availability of birth control. Basically the vast majority of conservative supposed pro-life positions actually lead to increasing numbers of abortions.

This is consistently backed up by historical data examining different states with different policies.

Comment by Homebody Tuesday, Jan 25, 22 @ 2:16 pm
thank you to the Illinois legislators who had the vision to keep women in Illinois safe. glad we can be a beacon of assistance for women whose states abandon their mental and physical health.

Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Jan 25, 22 @ 2:20 pm
It will be difficult if abortion is an issue come November for Republicans everywhere if “Roe is overturned” becomes a thing.

I dunno how Illinois Republicans get ahead of it, but imagine being the newly minted nominee of any office and you’re faced with “how do you feel about the rulings on abortion?”… or… “Is Roe officially overturned, in your eyes?”

So much could change. So much.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 25, 22 @ 2:27 pm
==abortion marketing budget==
As weird as that sounds, that actually could be a possibility for the future.
” Illinois, the Progressive state surrounded by the 19th Century.”

Comment by Bruce( no not him) Tuesday, Jan 25, 22 @ 2:48 pm
I doubt this will ever happen but should Roe get overturned in June, Planned Parenthood of Illinois should set up clinics near the border of every fireworks store that surrounds us

Comment by hisgirlfriday Tuesday, Jan 25, 22 @ 2:58 pm
Bruce — typo alert

I think you mean
”Illinois, the Progressive state surrounded by the 9th Century.”

Comment by Soccermom Tuesday, Jan 25, 22 @ 3:15 pm
==” Illinois, the Progressive state surrounded by the 19th Century.”===

This is my idea for the future economic success of Illinois, relative to the RTWFL states, although focusing on education, transportation, natural resources, and rights of women and minorities, not specifically abortion. I see it as the best chance we have in the race to the bottom.

Comment by Jibba Tuesday, Jan 25, 22 @ 3:15 pm
I think DCEO should consider launching a “Choose Illinois for Choice” campaign targeting states where the state government doesn’t believe that women are really people.

There’s probably enough interest to be able to start a series of chartered flights directly to the MidAmerica St Louis Airport in the Metro East.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jan 25, 22 @ 3:17 pm
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jan 25, 22 @ 3:17 pm:

That was me.

Comment by Candy Dogood Tuesday, Jan 25, 22 @ 3:18 pm
While some point out the low numbers, can you imagine 10,000 women, humans, having to go to an unknown place with an unknown doctor to discuss some of the most intimate medical decisions of their lives because they cannot get such care at home? What an abhorrent thought. 10,000 women. More than the total populations of 14 counties in Illinois. Thankful for our island of laws in this sea of red.

Comment by PrairieStateLover Tuesday, Jan 25, 22 @ 3:55 pm
It is great that the women has some place to go for these procedures. To go with Candy’s comment, would also be interesting to learn about the economic impact from this. And then again, people may scream what is it costing the state to have a very progressive law regarding abortion, if any.

Comment by snowman61 Tuesday, Jan 25, 22 @ 3:59 pm
==The best way to reduce abortions is via actual education (not abstinence-only puritanical approaches) and wide, affordable availability of birth control.==

I was in grade school in the late ’80s and early ’90s, when the panic and moral outrage over sex education and free condoms in schools was really aflame.

Guess what happened to the teen pregnancy rate in this country since then.

Comment by Roadrager Tuesday, Jan 25, 22 @ 5:24 pm
Meaning more lives were saved instead of aborted… its a stepping stone.

Comment by Ehh Tuesday, Jan 25, 22 @ 6:28 pm
46,243 kids that’ll never go to school, never get to fall in love, never get to be cool. My heart aches for every one of them, and I think it is abhorrent that some of y’all seem to be encouraging abortion tourism.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jan 25, 22 @ 6:29 pm
Anonymous above was me, sorry.

Comment by Captain Obvious Tuesday, Jan 25, 22 @ 6:30 pm
- Captain Obvious -

Are you willing to adopt a child? Have you adopted?

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 25, 22 @ 6:33 pm