LINCOLN, Neb. (Nebraska Examiner) – Abortions reported to have occurred in Nebraska last year rose 6% compared to the year before — making 2022 the state’s busiest year for abortions in more than a decade.
Last year also marked when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade. As the high court returned decisions about abortion to individual states, more out-of-state patients also sought care in Nebraska.
A new report issued Friday by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services states that 2,507 abortions were reported to DHHS in 2022, compared to 2,360 in 2021.
The data collection dates back to 2000, with reported abortions in the state decreasing almost annually between 2000 and 2016. From 2017 on, the number has been steadily increasing.
The last year that reported abortions surpassed 2,500 in Nebraska was in 2009.
About 21% of the abortions reported in 2022 were for patients who do not live in Nebraska — compared to 12% out-of-state patients whose abortions were reported the year before.
The future of abortion access in Nebraska is expected to change with the passage of Legislative Bill 574 in May. With that bill, abortions are banned after 12 weeks gestational age instead of 22.
The bill included exceptions for rape, incest, medical emergencies and the life of the mother.
According to Friday’s DHHS report, 89% of the reported abortions were estimated to have occurred before 12 weeks gestational age.
About 33% of the abortions were estimated at or less than six weeks gestational age — state lawmakers attempted to pass a different proposal this year to restrict abortions at about that point but failed by one vote.
Gov. Jim Pillen has vowed to continue pushing to further restrict abortion, including a ban at conception, as long as he is in office. Abortion-rights advocates have pledged to fight those efforts.
More out-of-state and younger patients
The DHHS report also indicates that the average and median age of patients who received abortions is younger. The average age was 26.5, down from 26.8 the year prior; the median and most common age at which abortions occurred is 22, down from 26.
Of patients living outside Nebraska, most came from the neighboring states of Iowa (146), Kansas (121), Missouri (102) and South Dakota (51). There were also dozens of patients from Texas (59) and Oklahoma (30).
Each state has had similar fights to further restrict access to abortion.
In the cases of Missouri, Kansas and Texas, there were significantly more patients in 2022 than 2021 — 18, 12 and 5 patients, respectively, living in those states. No patients reported living in Oklahoma in 2021.
Patients who live in the following states also received abortions in Nebraska: Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New York, North Dakota and Tennessee.
More patients attributed the reason for an abortion in 2022 to contraceptive failure or no contraceptive used compared to the previous year.
Future of abortion restrictions in Nebraska
Shortly after Pillen signed LB 574 into law on May 22, with the abortion restrictions taking effect the next day, opponents filed a May 30 lawsuit challenging the bill in court.
Planned Parenthood of the Heartland and Dr. Sarah Traxler, chief medical officer for Planned Parenthood North Central States, are arguing that LB 574 violates the Nebraska Constitution’s single subject rule.
They argue that because LB 574 restricts gender-affirming care for minors, in addition to abortion, it contains two subjects and is unconstitutional.
Supporters of the bill argue the law deals with medical procedures or the health and well-being of babies and children.
The lawsuit will be considered at a July 19 hearing between attorneys for Planned Parenthood and the state of Nebraska.
Nebraska Examiner is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Nebraska Examiner maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Cate Folsom for questions: info@nebraskaexaminer.com. Follow Nebraska Examiner on Facebook and Twitter.
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