Legal abortions most likely increased in the United States in the first six months of 2023 compared with 2020, particularly in states where abortion remains legal and accessible. The increases occurred mainly in states bordering those with total abortion bans, as these states absorbed patients traveling from more restrictive states and expanded access including telemedicine for abortion pills

. Specific states with notable increases in abortion numbers include:

• Illinois, where abortions rose an estimated 69% compared with the same period in 2020, from about 26,000 to 45,000

• Colorado
• Kansas
• New Mexico
• South Carolina

These states have more permissive abortion laws and saw jumps in estimated abortion counts as they served both local residents and out-of-state patients affected by bans in neighboring states

. Conversely, states with recent six-week abortion bans, such as Florida and South Carolina, saw sharp declines in abortions provided within their borders, reflecting the impact of restrictive laws

. In summary, the increases in legal abortions in the first half of 2023 compared to 2020 primarily occurred in states with fewer restrictions and those neighboring states with bans, including Illinois, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, and South Carolina