Fewer Floridians had abortions in 2023 than in the previous two years, but the number of out-of-state patients coming for the procedure continues to grow.
The Agency for Health Care Administration reports 7,130 out-of-state residents had abortions in Florida last year, up from 6,708 in 2022 and 4,873 in 2021. It marks a 46% increase over the past two years.
Health centers run by Planned Parenthood of South, East and North Florida saw their out-of-state patient volumes quadruple in the months following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wadein June 2022, according to Michelle Quesada, vice president of communications.
Nearby states like Alabama and Tennessee banned abortions at all stages of pregnancy with very limited exceptions, while others like Georgia and South Carolina enacted bans six-week bans.
Florida implemented a 15-week abortion ban and required patients to wait 24 hours after seeing a doctor about an abortion to return for the procedure. But the state is still one of the only places in the region where women, transgender and nonbinary people can access care after six weeks.
In 2023, the first full year those restrictions have been in effect, out-of-state patient volumes remain high, at about triple what they were before the ruling, Quesada said. Health centers nearest the border in Jacksonville and Tallahassee have been strained the most.
“In our northern centers, that really does push appointment wait times a little bit. The wait time is 4-5 weeks in Tally [Tallahassee] and 3-4 weeks in Jacksonville,” said Quesada. “So we’re still seeing a steady number of out-of-state patients that have nowhere else to turn to for this care.”
Quesada said Planned Parenthood has hired more staff at those locations to try to help meet demand.
Overall, abortions decreased in Florida last year to 78,250. There were 82,581 in 2022 and 79, 817 in 2021.
The Florida Supreme Court is weighing a challenge to the state’s 15-week ban. If it rules to uphold it, then a six-week ban that the legislature passed last spring will go into effect 30 days later.
That could be devastating for patients in Florida and out-of-state, said Quesada, as many women don't even realize they are pregnant at six weeks.
“This would have a significant effect on access in the South,” she said.
The court is also scheduled to hear arguments in February about whether to allow a proposal to enshrine abortion rights in Florida's constitution to appear on the November ballot.
Copyright 2024 WUSF 89.7. To see more, visit WUSF 89.7.
