ARKANSAS, USA — Arkansas was among the 14 states where a total abortion ban went into effect after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Despite this ban, a recent report shows that around 2,250 abortions were recorded among Arkansas residents between July and December 2023.
However, the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) said there were no abortions performed within the state.
According to the Society of Family Planning's WeCount report, shield laws in eight different states — including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New York, Vermont, and Washington — protect clinicians providing telehealth abortion care in states with an abortion ban.
"The telehealth providers that are working in these eight states are working legally under their own states laws," Society of Family Planning researcher Dr. Ushma Upadhyay said. "It is completely legal from the standpoint of their own states."
In Arkansas, 970 of the 2,250 recorded abortions were provided through telehealth under shield laws, according to the report. The other 1,280 residents traveled out of state for care.
The Arkansas Department of Health could not confirm these numbers because they do not keep track of any out-of-state providers.
"The Arkansas Department of Health collects data from in-state providers and facilities for the Induced Abortion data reports as required by Arkansas law," ADH said. "The ADH is not able to track abortions that take place out of the state or outside of a healthcare facility."
Despite recent access through telehealth, Upadhyay said there is a large probability that many who need care are not getting it.
"My concern is that there are zero abortions provided legally in Arkansas when that number there should be at least a handful of life-saving abortions that are allowed legally in the state," she said.
Upadhyay said she hopes this research helps new physicians reconsider where they want to practice.
"New OB/GYNs who are recently trained are reporting that they don't want to move into a state where they can't practice to their license, to their oath, and so it is having an impact on all types of pregnancy care in states with abortion bans," she said.
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