Report: Abortion on the Decline in Ohio, but Troubling Trends Remain
COLUMBUS – Abortions declined in Ohio in 2024, but troubling trends remain, according to data released today by the Ohio Department of Health.
The 2024 Ohio Induced Abortion Report found there were 21,829 reported abortions in Ohio in 2024. That’s a decrease from 22,000 reported abortions in 2023, but still above the number in 2022 (18,488).
“Given that Ohio has some of the most liberal abortion laws in the country and we have radical judges pushing this agenda, these numbers are encouraging,” said Carrie Snyder, Executive Director of Ohio Right to Life. “We aren’t satisfied with the loss of any innocent pre-born child, and our efforts to protect them will continue.”
While the total number of abortions in Ohio is down, there are disturbing trends. Abortions continue to be disproportionately performed on Black women, accounting for 42 percent of all abortions in Ohio. Black Ohioans comprise approximately 13.4 percent of the state population. And the number of out-of-state abortions being performed in Ohio increased for the third straight year, to more than three-thousand abortions in Ohio in 2024.
“This is another reason why we have called on Governor DeWine to sign an executive order prohibiting any Medicaid funds from going to abortion providers,” said Snyder. “Taxpayer dollars should not used to support the practice of abortion in any way, and even more so on people not from the Buckeye State.”
Sadly, the report also found that 41 percent of abortions occurred after the baby’s heartbeat was detected. And only 97 abortions – just 0.4 percent of abortions performed in Ohio – were performed to save the life of the mother. In fact, more abortions (186) resulted in complications for the mother.
“How tragic that so many mothers were able to actually hear their baby’s heartbeat, yet still made the choice to end that life,” said Snyder. “And that groups like Planned Parenthood continue to push the lie that they support women’s health. They are, in fact, abortion factories. Ohio has many pregnancy centers that offer health care and social services to support women, and Ohio Right to Life, along with our statewide partners, will continue to advocate for solutions that will help them raise and support their families.”