Post-Dobbs South: A Three-Year Retrospective
What Happens When Access Disappears
Three years ago today, the Supreme Court overturned Roe- stripping away federal abortion protections. Since this landmark decision, people across the country have been thrown into chaos with persistent legislative efforts to further take away access to abortion medical care.
Within 30 days of the decision, 43 clinics in 11 states immediately stop providing abortion care. At 100 days from the decision, this increased from 66 clinics in 15 states with no abortion facilities operating in the 14 states enforcing total abortion bans.
on May 1, 2024 Florida implemented a 6 week abortion ban where 54 clinics provided abortion care
Since this SCOTUS ruling, we have seen:
12 states banned abortion entirely
6 more have passed extreme restrictions
Clinics have closed, care has been delayed, patients have senselessly suffered
By the Numbers: The Reality Facing the South
In the three years since the Dobbs decision, the South has experienced a staggering reduction in abortion access. Among the 10 Southern states analyzed, every single one—except Georgia—now has zero clinics providing abortion care. Of the 62 clinics that existed before Dobbs, none currently offer abortion services outside Georgia, and 23 clinics have shut down entirely. The remaining 39 have pivoted to offer only non-abortion-related healthcare services, such as STI testing or contraceptive counseling. This rapid and widespread contraction of reproductive care services reveals not only the legal ramifications of Dobbs but also the deepening health disparities across a region already grappling with provider shortages and maternal health crises.
Alabama
Pre-Dobbs: 5 clinics
Current: 0 offering abortion care
Closures: 1 clinic closed entirely
Florida
Pre-Dobbs: 58 clinics
Current: 54 offering abortion care
Closures: 4 clinics closed entirely
Georgia
Pre-Dobbs: 14 clinics
Current: 13 offering abortion care
Closures: 1 clinic closed entirely
Kentucky
Pre-Dobbs: 2 clinics
Current: 0 offering abortion care
Closures: 1 clinic closed entirely
Remaining: 1 open for other services
Louisiana
Pre-Dobbs: 3 clinics
Current: 0 offering abortion care
Closures: 3 clinics closed entirely
Mississippi
Pre-Dobbs: 1 clinic
Current: 0 offering abortion care
Closures: 1 clinic closed entirely
South Carolina
Pre-Dobbs: 3 clinics
Current: 3 clinics
Closures: 0 clinics
Tennessee
Pre-Dobbs: 7 clinics
Current: 0 offering abortion care
Closures: 2 clinics closed entirely
Remaining: 5 open for other services
Texas
Pre-Dobbs: 23 clinics
Current: 0 offering abortion care
Closures: 12 clinics closed entirely
Remaining: 11 open for other services
West Virginia
Pre-Dobbs: 1 clinic
Current: 0 offering abortion care
Remaining: 1 open for other services
Since the Supreme Court's decision, there has been an estimated increase of 32,000 births annually in the United States, according to Forbes. This increase is specifically observed in states with abortion bans, where birth rates have risen by an average of 2.3% compared to states without such bans.