The legal restrictions for getting an abortion in certain states are getting tighter and tighter, but new laws aren’t the only obstacle women face when they are looking to end a pregnancy.
The legal restrictions for getting an abortion in certain states are getting tighter and tighter, but new laws aren’t the only obstacle women face when they are looking to end a pregnancy.
Across the country, there are simply fewer places for them to go.
Iowa, Louisiana, and Arkansas are three states where multiple abortion clinics have closed in recent years, and now those states are also rolling out new laws shortening the time frame that women have to seek legal abortions.
In Iowa, 11 clinics have closed or stopped providing abortions in the past eight years.
Louisiana has only three clinics in the state that perform abortions, down from seven.
And in Arkansas, a recent court decision means that instead of having three abortion-providing clinics, the state will have just one.
“Arkansas has always been a hostile state toward abortion and with the new administration, it’s kind of emboldened state legislators to continue to make regulations to limit access,” Dr. Stephanie Ho, an abortion provider in Arkansas, told ABC News.
But Arkansas isn't the only state where just one clinic is still operating amid heightened restrictions.
Clinics closing after states pass new restrictions
Seven states now have only one abortion clinic: West Virginia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming and Arkansas, thanks to the Supreme Court's decision not to reverse the lower court’s ruling there. That means women seeking abortions may need to drive hours to be able to access care.