Advocates for abortion access are facing significant funding challenges and potential disruptions to reproductive care due to compounding crises of abortion bans, rising economic costs, and systemic health care issues. This “perfect storm” of problems with the U.S. health care system, exacerbated post-pandemic and by the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision in June 2022, has led to increased wait times, escalating costs, and limited access to abortion care.
Planned Parenthood affiliates and abortion funds are struggling to meet the growing demand for services, with declining donation revenue and financial struggles impacting their ability to provide care. The National Abortion Federation has had to reduce patient grants due to financial constraints, and even states with new abortion restrictions are seeing a decline in donations.
Planned Parenthood affiliates in Northern New England and Greater New York have announced projected funding shortfalls, leading to the pausing of abortion care at or beyond 20 weeks in some cases. Legislative wrangling has affected funding for family planning centers in Maine and New Hampshire, while states like Idaho with near-total abortion bans are seeing an increase in patients seeking care in neighboring states.
Independent abortion clinics, comprising a significant percentage of abortion providers, are also facing financial challenges. The Abortion Care Network has launched a campaign to support these clinics, but donations are down, making it difficult to maintain infrastructure and support patient care.
Overall, the landscape of abortion access in the U.S. is facing unprecedented challenges, with advocates calling for increased support and resources to ensure reproductive care remains available and accessible for all who need it.
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