Skip to main content

Incidence Rate of Abortions Reduced During COVID-19 Pandemic

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Oct. 23, 2023 -- The incidence rate of abortions decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, mainly driven by procedural abortions, according to a study published online Oct. 24 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Catherine S. Hwang, M.D., from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, and colleagues estimated changes in the incidence rate of induced medical and procedural abortions in a cross-sectional study involving reproductive-aged commercially insured women in the United States. The monthly age-adjusted incidence rates were measured among women aged 15 to 44 years from January 2018 to June 2022.

The researchers found that the estimated age-adjusted monthly incidence rate of abortions was 151 per million women in January 2018, with equal rates of medical and procedural abortions. An immediate 14 percent decrease was seen in the monthly incidence rate of abortions after March 2020 (21 per million women), driven by a 31 percent decline in procedural abortions (22 per million women). Of the medical abortions, fewer than 4 percent each month were administered by telehealth.

"Our findings suggest that expanded commercial insurance coverage for telehealth abortions could provide an important opportunity to expand access to abortion care, particularly as some states restrict the delivery of abortion services," the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted October 2023

Further Support and Information on COVID-19

Read this next

Higher COVID-19 Vaccination Rates Tied to Decrease in Childhood Asthma Symptoms

WEDNESDAY, July 3, 2024 -- Higher COVID-19 vaccination rates are associated with a lower prevalence of parent-reported childhood asthma symptoms, according to a research letter...

Decrease in Oral Contraceptive Fills Seen After Dobbs Ruling

WEDNESDAY, June 26, 2024 -- The Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization decision, allowing states to strengthen restrictions on abortion access, was associated with declines...

COVID-19 Vaccination Not Tied to Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes

TUESDAY, June 25, 2024 -- mRNA COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy is not associated with an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, according to a study published in the...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.