Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, dozens of clinics have either closed or halted abortion services. We conducted an investigation to determine what happened to these clinics and how their closures impacted the surrounding communities.
In the past year, 20 states have enacted laws that either banned or restricted abortion, causing a significant shift in the country’s abortion landscape. Clinic owners were forced to adapt by canceling appointments and helping patients seek services elsewhere. Some clinics were able to relocate, while others had no choice but to close down, leaving empty buildings behind.
For example, in Milwaukee, a former clinic is currently for sale for $1 million, but the real estate agent struggled to find interested buyers. In Montgomery, Alabama, patients still show up at a closed clinic seeking emergency contraception but cannot afford it. Furthermore, protesters have transitioned from picketing one clinic in Bristol, Tennessee, to now demonstrating outside a new clinic just a mile away in Bristol, Virginia.
Overall, at least 61 clinics, including Planned Parenthood facilities and doctors’ offices, have ceased offering abortion services in the past year. Most of these closures occurred in the 14 states that have outright banned abortion, while others closed due to uncertainty surrounding the laws in their respective states. Many physicians cited unclear laws and the possibility of severe criminal penalties as the reasons for shutting down.
Approximately half of the closed clinics have shifted their services to focus on other areas such as birth control and prenatal care. Some clinics continue to provide follow-up care for patients who received abortions elsewhere. Additionally, a dozen providers have relocated and opened new clinics in states with more favorable abortion laws. Meanwhile, a few of the closed clinic buildings, including the one at the center of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case, have been sold and repurposed.
For clinic owners, the decision to close was often due to financial constraints. Without offering abortions, they couldn’t sustain their operations. As a result, many chose to move their practices to more accommodating states. These independent clinics performed a significant portion of the country’s abortions and were known for offering financial assistance and welcoming patients who couldn’t afford the procedure.
Some clinic owners, like Kathaleen Pittman in Shreveport, Louisiana, closed their clinics and relocated to different states to continue providing care. Pittman’s new clinic in western Florida is set to open pending license approval, despite the recent passage of a six-week abortion ban in the state.
Diane Derzis, who has been instrumental in setting up three new clinics within the past year, faced resistance when trying to establish a new clinic in Bristol, Virginia. Despite abortion being legal in Virginia, an anti-abortion group attempted to enforce a zoning code change to prohibit the use of local land for abortion services. The proposed change has not been passed, and the clinic’s landlords are suing, claiming they were not informed about the clinic’s intentions.
Despite facing numerous challenges, providers that have remained open continue to offer a range of services besides abortion. Most of the remaining providers are Planned Parenthood health centers that have the support of the national organization and were already offering various healthcare services. Other individual physicians, like Dr. Darin Weyhrich in Boise, Idaho, also chose to keep their practices open, albeit without providing abortions. Dr. Weyhrich now keeps a stock of abortion pills locked away.
The bans enacted since the Roe v. Wade decision appear to have shifted the location of abortion services rather than reducing the overall number of abortions. Patients are either crossing state lines or seeking abortion pills online. States like Illinois, Florida, and North Carolina have reported an increase in abortions since the ruling. However, nationally, average monthly abortions have decreased by approximately 3%.
In conclusion, the closure and restriction of abortion clinics has had significant implications for both clinics and the communities they serve. Many clinics have closed down, leaving behind empty buildings, while others have managed to relocate or continue providing alternative healthcare services. The bans have pushed patients across state borders or to online sources for abortion pills. Planned Parenthood facilities have played a crucial role in maintaining accessible healthcare, and some individual physicians have persisted in providing care despite the challenges they face.
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