COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The number of abortions in Ohio increased in 2023, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
“It's heartbreaking to see that 22,000 children lost their lives in the state of Ohio in 2023,” President of Ohio Right to Life Mike Gonidakis said.
“Tens of thousands of people in the state of Ohio were able to get the abortion care they needed,” Deputy Director of Abortion Forward Jaime Miracle said.
The 2023 abortion report shows a 19% overall increase in abortions from 2022. But Miracle said 2022 was the outlier, not 2023.
“When you look at the 2021 numbers to the 2023 numbers, they're really similar. The difference is those 82 days in 2022 when this legislature's six-week ban, was allowed to go into place,” she said. “Those 82 days really impacted people.”
Now — the state has a reproductive rights amendment, allowing abortion to the point of fetal viability. The report shows that 63.3% of abortions were performed before the ninth week of pregnancy. 1.4% were performed between 19-20 weeks and .6% after 21 weeks.
Voters passed the reproductive rights amendment last fall and it became effective in December 2023. But Gonidakis said the increase is likely not attributed to that amendment.
“There was almost ten and a half, 11 months of data provided prior to the election in 2023. So, I don't believe it had an impact,” he said. “Now, next year's report could be a different story. We'll have to see.”
So, why the increase? The report shows women coming to Ohio from out-of-state to receive an abortion more than doubled. Miracle said it is likely people from neighboring states like Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia, which do not allow abortions except in limited circumstances.
“Certainly, now Ohio is becoming a destination state for out-of-state women to come to have abortion. That's never happened before. And we need to figure out why that's happening here in Ohio,” Gonidakis said.
“It's only problematic because they're having to leave their home state. The fact that Ohio is here as a safe haven for those people who need access to care is critical,” Miracle said.“We must have federal protections for abortion so that everyone can get the same access that Ohio residents have in their home state.”
But Gonidakis said the most shocking part to him is that 2.7% percent of abortions in 2023 were performed on minors.
“What are we doing? What are we doing in Ohio? It's sad and it's tragic that we have to live in a state where minors are having abortions,” he said.
Gonidakis said that is why Ohio Right to Life is “going to be working with the legislature to make additional reporting requirements mandatory for minors.” He did not share specific details about what that would look like yet but said there are a lot of holes in the current yearly report.
“Are they victims? Are they being trafficked? We don't know that. Their abortion report doesn't provide that information. It just states that an abortion was performed on a minor,” he said. “We should demand that Planned Parenthood tell us the circumstances for these minors, because as society, our greatest asset is our children.”
“That is invasive and does not exist for any other medical treatment,” Miracle said. “Nobody is asking pediatricians offices to report on flu cases or chickenpox cases. People need access to health care without government intrusion and interference, and providers need to be trusted to provide that care.”
Gonidakis said he will also be working to “capture additional dollars,” to help the state’s 123 pregnancy centers in the 2025 state operating budget.
“We have more pregnancy centers per capita than any other state in the nation and we're working directly with them to increase their ability to see and help women,” Gonidakis said.
Miracle said this report emphasizes how critical access to care is and said it is why, even though there is no direct reproductive rights issue on the ballot this fall, voters should still pay attention.
“That amendment is still on the ballot through the Ohio Supreme Court races, through the federal races,” Miracle said.
Miracle said voters need to pay attention to federal races because if a federal law it passed, it would override Ohio’s constitution.
“We must protect the Ohio Reproductive Freedom Amendment by voting for Ohio Supreme Court justices and federal candidates who support and protect abortion access,” Miracle said.
“If we elect good men and women on both sides. That we identify ways to help women have their child, raise their child or place their child for adoption, I think is a better thing for our society,” Gonidakis said.
