American Women Seeking Abortions Travel over 25 Miles To Access Sevrices

A latest study reveals that 61 percent women travel over 25 miles to get an abortion done.

The researchers at Guttmacher Institute studied data from a national survey conducted in 2008 of 8338 women.  They found that expecting mothers in the rural areas of the U.S. requiring compulsory therapy and waiting period and women seeking second-trimester abortion services were more likely to travel longer distances than other mothers.

The results showed 16 percent traveled 25-49 miles, 11 percent traveled 50-100 miles and 6 percent traveled more than 100 miles to seek an abortion.

"Many women travel substantial distances to access abortion services.  This can present a barrier, particularly for poor and low-income women, who make up the majority of women seeking abortions, and for women in rural areas" said lead author Rachel Jones. "For women in states with mandatory counseling and waiting periods, the barrier is even greater, and one some women may not be able to overcome."

In 2008, 25 states made it obligatory for mandatory counseling followed by a waiting period generally of 24 hours. Of these, seven states required in-person counseling with two visits. According to the study, women who lived in a state with a 24-hour waiting period were more than twice as likely to travel longer distances as women in states without.

Nearly two-thirds of U.S. abortion providers conduct second-trimester abortions. But with each additional week the percentage of abortion drops. Thus, women seeking further measures travel farther distances.

According to the research, women seeking abortions at 16 weeks or later were twice as likely to have traveled 25, 50 or 100 miles or more compared to those seeking first-trimester procedures.

Around 31 percent of women from rural areas traveled over 100 miles for abortion, and an additional 43 percent traveled between 50 and 100 miles. "Between 2010 and 2013, we have seen an unprecedented number of abortion restrictions introduced and enacted at the state level," said Guttmacher state policy expert, Elizabeth Nash. "This study will serve as a useful benchmark to analyze the impact of those restrictions on women's ability to access abortion services."