In the wake of changing abortion laws, new statistics indicate a significant shift towards telehealth abortions. The Society of Family Planning’s #WeCount project has released data suggesting a modest rise in abortion numbers, with telehealth services playing a crucial role.
The #WeCount project report estimates that in 2025, the United States saw 1.13 million abortions, slightly surpassing the figures from 2024. This increase is attributed largely to the rise in telehealth abortions, where women receive pills by mail after virtual consultations.
While in-person abortion numbers fluctuated, the report highlights a notable increase in telehealth abortions, accounting for over 300,000 procedures, or 28% of the total. The trend has grown significantly from 5% in April 2022 to 29% by December 2025.
The report observed that in states allowing abortion and telehealth, the percentage of telehealth abortions varied between 8% and 44%. However, in populous states like New York and California, telehealth made up a smaller portion, between 10% and 13% of all abortions.
In states with more restrictive abortion laws, telehealth services under shield laws were responsible for nearly all abortions performed, underscoring an adaptation to regulatory challenges.
The data also indicates that overall abortion numbers remain higher than prior to the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade.
Michael New, from the Charlotte Lozier Institute, emphasized the impact of telehealth on abortion rates, suggesting that it “needs to be a top priority for pro-lifers” due to its largely unregulated nature. He highlighted the public health implications and called for action from the FDA.
New further noted that policy shifts in the post-Dobbs era, such as the striking down of pro-life laws in Missouri and North Dakota, resulted in increased abortion numbers. Delaware also saw a rise, partly due to Medicaid covering elective abortions from January 2025.
In contrast, Florida and Iowa saw a 25% reduction in in-state abortions after enforcing heartbeat bans. The Guttmacher Institute’s data corroborates these trends, reporting 91,000 telehealth abortions in pro-life states in 2025, a 26% increase from the previous year.
New acknowledged the accuracy of Guttmacher’s estimates but cautioned that the rise in telehealth procedures could affect the precision of future abortion statistics.
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
