Idaho’s trigger abortion ban came into effect 30 days after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade. This ban had an immediate impact on the Gem State and caused ripple effects throughout the region.
Oregon and Washington have become popular destinations for individuals seeking abortion care, with many people from Idaho and other states with restrictive laws crossing state lines to access the procedure.
Dr. Emily Godfrey, a senior author of a study conducted at the University of Washington, emphasizes the significance of understanding that outlawing abortion does not eliminate the practice. In her research, she examines the rise in out-of-state abortion patients in the state.
According to data from The Society of Family Planning, the total number of abortions has increased nationwide following the landmark Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision. The organization has been tracking the average number of abortions performed per week in Washington and Oregon since April 2022, revealing a consistent upward trend.
According to a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood, the clinics in Oregon experienced a significant surge in patients from Idaho, with a staggering 1,300% increase. In the year following the Dobbs decision, the number of patients coming from Idaho rose to 500, compared to just 50 in the previous year.
According to a report from the office of U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, the total number of abortion patients at Planned Parenthood’s clinics in the greater Washington area from Idaho increased by 56% between 2022 and 2023. The report analyzed the number of patients seen during the January to May period for each year.
Seattle-area clinics surveyed in the UW study experienced an increase in patients coming from Texas. Additionally, these clinics noted that the patients were approximately a week further along in their pregnancies compared to before the Dobbs decision. This suggests that there have been delays in accessing healthcare services.
According to Godfrey, every week that the abortion procedure is postponed brings about the possibility of increased complications. The delay not only incurs costs for the patient and the state, but it also leads to potential financial burdens for the clinic. Additionally, there are mental health implications associated with the delay of abortion.
Patients have expressed their concerns to providers regarding transportation, child care, taking time off work, and other barriers that can hinder them from seeking care, says Sarah DeVleming, a Planned Parenthood health care manager in Spokane.
According to DeVleming, the clinics near North Idaho have experienced a notable rise in patient numbers across various services since the 2022 court ruling. Additionally, these clinics are also witnessing an influx of patients from other states with similar bans, like Texas and Alabama. However, determining the exact origin of out-of-state patients can be challenging to track, as stated by DeVleming.
Patients frequently visit our clinic with apprehension about revealing their origins,” DeVleming acknowledged. “Many individuals are afraid and uncertain if seeking our services is even allowed by law.”
According to her, the staff has observed that patients often write down the address of a hotel or even the address of the clinic itself in their paperwork.
It is quite common for people to be confused about the scope of laws and what actions can actually be considered punishable.
Idaho has implemented three distinct laws prohibiting the procedure: a ban on abortions after six weeks based on the detection of a fetal heartbeat; a complete ban that criminalizes nearly all abortions in the event that Roe v. Wade is overturned; and a civil liability law resembling that of Texas, enabling relatives of a fetus aborted after six weeks to file a lawsuit against the abortion provider, with a minimum claim of $20,000.
According to the Brookings Institute, while none of Idaho’s laws penalize women seeking abortion, other states like Georgia and Florida have broad bans that could potentially lead to punishment for women. ABC News has reported cases where an Ohio woman was criminally charged in 2023 after experiencing a miscarriage, and a Texas woman faced murder charges for taking abortion pills. However, it is important to note that the charges were eventually dropped in both instances.
In late March 2023, Attorney General Raúl Labrador sent an email to Rep. Brent Crane, R-Nampa, stating that Idaho’s laws might prevent doctors in Idaho from referring patients to out-of-state facilities. However, Labrador later withdrew his opinion due to a procedural matter. Subsequently, a group of physicians sued, leading to a federal judge blocking the state from enforcing the opinion, as reported by the Idaho Press.
The judge determined that the opinion, despite its intention to remain private and its subsequent withdrawal, instilled a justifiable sense of fear among doctors regarding potential prosecution.
In states without abortion bans, it is legal to seek an abortion. However, under the “abortion trafficking” law, it is illegal for an adult to take a minor across state lines without the consent of the minor’s parents for the purpose of obtaining an abortion.
According to the study conducted by the University of Washington, there was a notable rise in procedural abortions, as opposed to medication-induced abortions, in the Seattle area clinics. This increase was particularly observed in the immediate aftermath of the court decision.
According to Godfrey, their hypothesis suggests that individuals opt for procedural methods because they desire absolute certainty regarding the termination of their pregnancy before returning home. This is particularly significant for those residing in states where abortion is considered a criminal offense.
Amanda Espinoza, the manager of the Planned Parenthood health center in Ontario, Oregon, has observed a variety of individuals seeking both medication and procedural assistance. Moreover, she has also encountered individuals who express their concerns about their home-state laws and request the procedure as a result.
Patients often express their biggest fear to Espinoza, which revolves around the potential consequences of seeking follow-up care in their own state after the initial treatment.
When faced with an unplanned pregnancy and the decision to have an abortion, many individuals have concerns and questions about what to do next. According to Espinoza, the first thing they often ask is if they can simply return to the clinic. However, they are advised to go to the nearest emergency room instead, where they can receive the necessary assistance. Another common worry is whether healthcare professionals will be able to tell that they have had an abortion.
In 2023, Planned Parenthood launched its Ontario clinic, situated on the Idaho-Oregon border. Prior to this, the Bend clinic, located in Central Oregon, was the nearest facility to the Treasure Valley, requiring approximately a five-hour drive.
Ontario, located just under an hour away from the Boise area, poses a transportation challenge for individuals seeking appointments. This is especially true for clients who have traveled long distances to reach the clinic. In such cases, the staff at Ontario’s clinic prioritizes walk-in appointments for those who have journeyed two or more hours to receive care, as shared by Espinoza.
According to the UW researcher, certain groups may be disproportionately affected by the obstacles to receiving care. The study revealed a notable decrease in the number of Native American or Indigenous women seeking abortions.
Godfrey expressed concern about whether the current burdens faced by individuals residing in states with tribal lands are hindering their ability to access necessary healthcare.
The study also discovered that women of Black and Latina descent were arriving for their appointments a week later into their pregnancies, as compared to their behavior before the implementation of Dobbs.
In south central Washington, several clinics experienced a surge in patients from Idaho, a trend that was uncommon before Dobbs. In the first five months of 2022, Kennewick’s clinic had only two patients from Idaho. However, in the same period in 2023, that number skyrocketed to 91. Similarly, Walla Walla witnessed a significant increase, with just one Idaho patient in 2022, but 20 the following year.
In July 2022, the Pullman Planned Parenthood clinic, situated in eastern Washington just 8 miles away from Moscow, Idaho, shared that a significant 78% of its patients hailed from Idaho. This marks a notable increase from the previous month of June, where the percentage stood at 68%.
After the decision, there was an increase in the number of individuals seeking contraceptive care at the Washington clinics, particularly for long-term methods.
UW Medicine saw a significant surge in sterilization requests, with a tenfold increase reported in the months following Dobbs, according to the Cantwell office report. Additionally, there was a rise in individuals seeking to have their IUDs and implants replaced.
According to DeVleming, there has been a rise in individuals seeking various forms of healthcare, not just abortion, at the clinics in Spokane and Pullman. This is due to the shortage of women’s healthcare providers in North Idaho. While Planned Parenthood does not provide OB-GYN services, they do offer certain wellness and preventive care, as well as sexual health and reproductive care.
