Since the implementation of a ban on abortions in Idaho, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of Idahoans seeking abortion services in neighboring states. According to data from the Guttmacher Institute, a research organization supporting abortion rights, five out of the six states bordering Idaho have seen a rise in the percentage of out-of-state patients coming in for abortions between 2020 and 2023.
In Utah, the share of Idahoans receiving abortions increased from 2% in 2020 to 5% in 2023. Similarly, in Oregon, Idaho residents accounted for 3% of abortions in 2023, compared to none in 2020. Washington state emerged as a popular destination for Idahoans seeking abortion services, with more individuals traveling there in both 2020 and 2023 than to any other neighboring state.
This trend is not unique to Idaho, as many states with neighboring areas that have implemented full abortion bans have also experienced an influx of out-of-state patients. For instance, in New Mexico, which borders Texas and Oklahoma—both of which have abortion bans in place—nearly three-fourths of abortion patients traveled from other states in 2023.
The Guttmacher Institute reported that over 171,000 individuals crossed state lines to access abortion services in 2023, which is more than double the number recorded three years earlier. South Carolina and New Mexico saw the most significant increases in the percentage of out-of-state patients, with jumps of 37 and 33 percentage points, respectively.
