In 2023, more than 35,000 women left Texas to obtain abortion services in other states, according to data from the Guttmacher Institute, a pro-abortion research and policy organization. Nationwide, over 170,000 patients traveled out of state for abortion care, highlighting the impact of the Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade.
Pre-Dobbs restrictions and the current crisis
Even before the Dobbs decision, Texas had imposed a stringent six-week abortion ban since late 2021. “Texas had already clamped down on services,” said Debbie McNabb, a retired gynecologist based in Texas. “So women had already been traveling a long ways.” The situation is expected to worsen in Texas, which ranks second among states providing the worst prenatal and maternal health care, according to a Value Penguin analysis.
Nationwide access issues
The problem extends beyond Texas. Over a third of U.S. counties are considered maternity care deserts, with no hospitals providing obstetric care, birth centers, OB/GYNs, or certified nurse midwives, according to a March of Dimes report. This lack of access severely impacts maternal health nationwide.
Impact on medical education
The restrictive abortion laws in Texas are also affecting medical education. Many medical students prefer residency programs in states where abortion remains legal. “We’re going to get fewer trainees, OBGYN trainees in Texas, which is going to increase our maternity deserts and decrease the availability of routine OBGYN care,” McNabb said. “We are not going to get the best and brightest residents because people are ranking the states with abortion access higher.”
As Texas continues to impose restrictive laws on reproductive health, the ripple effects are being felt across the medical community and among women seeking care. The situation underscores the ongoing challenges and debates surrounding abortion access in the United States.
