Kansas abortions rise, despite fewer Texas, Oklahoma patients in 2021

Public well being officers report a rise in abortions in Kansas, regardless of a lower within the variety of sufferers from Oklahoma and Texas looking for medical care in Kansas.

The Kansas Division of Well being and Surroundings’s preliminary 2021 report on abortion statistics exhibits a rise of 4.1%, from 7,542 abortions reported in 2020 to 7,849 in 2021.

A coalition of anti-abortion teams pointed to the report in a Tuesday information launch marking the three-year anniversary of a Kansas Supreme Courtroom resolution. The justices declared in 2019 that Kansans have a “elementary proper” to an abortion below the state structure, igniting an effort to amend the structure.

“The information clearly exhibits Kansas is heading towards limitless abortion up to date of delivery,” mentioned Danielle Underwood, a spokesperson for Kansans for Life. “The Worth Them Each Modification is the one treatment for Kansans to keep away from changing into a everlasting vacation spot state for painful, late-term abortions, paid for with our state tax {dollars}.”

No Kansans have had abortions after 22 weeks since 2019 court docket resolution

No Kansas residents have had an abortion at 22 weeks or higher gestation for the reason that 2019 resolution, annual public well being statistics present. Between 2016 and 2018, 16 Kansans went outdoors the state for late-term abortions.

In contrast to the KDHE report from a 12 months in the past, when a rise in abortions was primarily attributed to out-of-state sufferers, the rise in abortions in 2021 was virtually solely from in-state sufferers.

Between 2019 and 2020, the variety of annual abortions elevated 630. Out-of-state sufferers accounted for 528, with Texas and Oklahoma women and girls driving the rise.

The 2021 determine was a rise of 303 from 2020. All however 11 of the sufferers lived in Kansas.

The brand new knowledge exhibits an sudden drop within the variety of Texas and Oklahoma sufferers in a 12 months when abortion suppliers reported a surge following laws in Texas successfully banning abortions earlier than most ladies know they’re pregnant.

Extra:Texas now has the hardest abortion restrictions in the USA. What does that imply for Kansas?

Republicans and anti-abortion teams seized on knowledge an anecdotes of surging abortions in Kansas, labeling the state as an “abortion vacation spot” and “sanctuary” below Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.

The KDHE reported abortions from 85 Oklahomans and 25 Texans in 2019, with a rise to 277 Oklahomans and 289 Texans in 2020 as these states deemed abortion an elective process amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, Kansas services noticed 137 Oklahomans and 233 Texans.

In the meantime, the variety of Missouri sufferers elevated from 3,178 in 2019 to three,201 in 2020 and three,458 in 2021.

A KDHE spokesperson didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

“The reality about this knowledge exhibits that ladies and their infants are usually not being valued,” mentioned Lucrecia Nold, a Kansas Catholic Convention spokesperson. “We as Christians know that ladies and their infants deserve higher.”

Extra:‘It was just like the floodgates opened’ when ladies started coming to Kansas for abortions. Which will change.

Information exhibits highest Kansas abortions since 2011

The 2021 quantity is probably the most abortions in Kansas since 2011, when 7,885 have been reported.

That determine consists of 3,937 abortions reported amongst Kansans, with 4 of these taking place outdoors of the state. The remaining 3,912 have been out-of-state residents who traveled to Kansas.

Youngsters accounted for 751 abortions, together with six ladies youthful than 14. The majority of abortions — 4,588 — got here from ladies of their 20s. Girls older than 40 had 273 abortions.

Experiences of bodily, psychological or emotional abuse or neglect have been filed in 64 instances.

The information present 85% of abortion sufferers have been single women and girls, whereas 70% have been carried out at lower than 9 weeks gestation.

For 30% of abortions, the affected person had by no means had a earlier being pregnant. Moreover, 41% had no residing kids, and 68% had by no means beforehand had an abortion.

The hormone-blocking drug mifepristone was the commonest methodology, accounting for 68% of abortions. The dilation and evacuation process, which anti-abortion teams seek advice from as “dismemberment,” accounted for six%.

Extra:Girls’s March at Kansas Capitol takes intention at constitutional modification, Texas abortion legislation

Worth Them Each modification will likely be on August major poll

The 2019 excessive court docket ruling discovered the state structure’s invoice of rights protects private autonomy and bodily integrity.

“This proper permits a lady to make her personal choices relating to her physique, well being, household formation, and household life — choices that may embody whether or not to proceed a being pregnant,” the justices wrote.

The Worth Them Each modification would successfully undo that call. It will rewrite the structure to explicitly say it “doesn’t create or safe a proper to abortion.” It will grant lawmakers the facility to manage abortion “to the extent permitted” by the U.S. Structure.

Proponents contend that the modification is critical to permit lawmakers to manage the medical process. Nevertheless, the 2019 ruling in Hodes and Nauser v. Schmidt allowed rules that “additional a compelling authorities curiosity and in a method that’s narrowly tailor-made to that curiosity.”

“The Kansas Supreme Courtroom’s excessive ruling overrides the need of the individuals,” mentioned Brittany Jones, a spokesperson for Kansas Household Voice. “People all throughout Kansas are shocked at how unelected justices have eliminated protections for moms and infants.”

Extra:‘The world is watching Kansas’ as anti-abortion protesters march on Capitol, promote Worth Them Each

Proponents argue that the modification wouldn’t ban abortion. Nevertheless, it will pave the best way for state lawmakers to take action if the U.S. Supreme Courtroom have been to overturn Roe v. Wade.

That argument has led to a schism amongst spiritual conservatives. A company known as AIM KS, which stands for abortion is homicide, has opposed the constitutional modification as a result of it doesn’t abolish abortion.

The group has backed a invoice launched final month, HB 2746, that may ban all abortions besides these carried out to save lots of the lifetime of the fetus, take away a useless fetus after a miscarriage or stillbirth, or terminations of ectopic pregnancies.

An abortion to save lots of the lifetime of the mom could be unlawful, except it was an ectopic being pregnant with no “cheap different.” No exceptions are made for rape or incest.

Underneath the invoice, morning after tablets would probably be unlawful. It will even be unlawful to destroy a fertilized embryo as half a man-made insemination course of. It’s unclear how it will have an effect on in vitro fertilization, or IVF.

Abortions could be criminalized as among the many most extreme crimes within the state, with a single offense carrying a penalty beginning at 20 years in jail.

Jason Tidd is a statehouse reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. He may be reached by e mail at jtidd@gannett.com. Comply with him on Twitter @Jason_Tidd.