Less than 1% of abortions take place in the third trimester. Here’s why people get them
Katrina Kimport, Associate Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco
If Roe v. Wade is overturned, more people could find themselves needing a third-trimester abortion. RgStudio/E+ via Getty Images
The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work.
The big idea
People seek third-trimester abortions for two main reasons: because they learn new information – such as about the health of the fetus – or because of barriers to abortion access, often as a result of state policies.
Those are the key findings of a study I recently published in the journal Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, based on interviews with 28 women from 14 different U.S. states. Terminating a pregnancy after 21 weeks is exceedingly rare. Yet myths about why people pursue abortions after 24 weeks – when the third trimester of pregnancy begins – are a dominant part of the debate over abortion. I wanted to use real stories to help overturn these myths.
One woman I interviewed, for example, explained that she needed an abortion following a diagnosis at 29 weeks of pregnancy that her fetus’s brain was not developing. Because a great deal of fetal brain development happens after the 24th week of pregnancy, there was no way to diagnose this problem earlier.
Sometimes, the new information people learn is simply the fact that they are pregnant. For instance, I interviewed a woman with several chronic medical conditions. Her treatment caused many of the symptoms commonly associated with pregnancy. After years of an irregular menstrual period, regular weight fluctuations, chronic nausea and at least weekly vomiting, she did not recognize any symptoms of pregnancy until she was 26 weeks pregnant. Her medical conditions made continuing the pregnancy a health risk for her, and besides that, she never wanted to have a baby.
Other people I interviewed were delayed in getting care when they first wanted an abortion, illustrating the second pathway to needing a third-trimester abortion. Typically, these delays are caused by policies, such as bans on public insurance coverage of abortion, which are legal under court rulings that followed Roe v. Wade.
Indeed, several women I spoke with had public insurance and lived in states that prohibited public insurance coverage of abortion, forcing them to pay out of pocket for abortion care. Already financially struggling, they could not afford an abortion when they first wanted one. By the time they came up with enough money, they were in the third trimester of pregnancy.
Other women described barriers that weren’t directly related to policy. One young woman, for example, was so afraid that her parents would judge her for becoming pregnant and wanting an abortion that she took no action toward getting the abortion. By the time she felt able to confide in her brother, who was able to get her an appointment for an abortion, she was in the third trimester of pregnancy.
Why it matters
While most abortions take place in the first trimester of pregnancy, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that less than 1% of abortions take place after 21 weeks of pregnancy. Public support for abortion after 24 weeks of pregnancy is notably low, and pundits have made wild claims about people who get third-trimester abortions, such as that women seek abortions up until the moment of a live birth.
Understanding the real lives of women who have obtained third-trimester abortions can correct misleading narratives about later abortion.
We don’t yet know whether these barriers will translate into more people being pushed into needing third-trimester abortion care, but it seems probable. For people in states where abortion is banned, having to travel across state lines is likely to delay people in obtaining abortion care, potentially into the third trimester. And people in states where abortion is still legal may also be pushed into the third trimester as an influx of out-of-state patients could lead to delays for in-state patients.
Women’s experiences of seeking third-trimester abortion care can tell us about what is helpful for people who are forced to travel for abortion care. Only four publicly known abortion providers offer third-trimester care nationwide, so most third-trimester patients have to travel across state lines. Understanding the hardships of travel can offer insights into what women who need abortions across the U.S. would face in a post-Roe world.
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Katrina Kimport has received funding from the Society of Family Planning and an anonymous private family foundation.
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Democrats’ effort to secure Roe v. Wade falls to filibuster
Emma Rubin // Stacker
A leaked Supreme Court draft ruling that would overturn Roe v. Wade, dated in February and published May 2 by Politico, was confirmed as authentic by Chief Justice John Roberts on May 3.
Votes can change between initial drafts and final rulings, and abortion is still legal in all 50 states and Washington D.C. Still, the leaked document sparked shock, outrage, and protests among those who see the document as a harbinger of what’s to come when the final ruling is announced in June or early July. The publication of the court’s initial draft is unprecedented in history and has been compared by some to the release of the Pentagon Papers.
To explore what overturning Roe v. Wade might mean for abortion access across the United States, Stacker analyzed data from the Guttmacher Institute’s driving distance dataset that aggregates population data at a geographic unit between 600 and 3,000 people. This dataset further determines the median distance from abortion clinics for women of reproductive age—defined in this analysis between the ages of 15 and 49—across 26 states likely to ban or severely restrict abortion access should Roe be overturned. Although Guttmacher’s data relies on census data, which collects gender data as binary, abortion access impacts people beyond those who identify as women.
The landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision put federal protections for abortion rights in place for the first time in U.S. history, marking a major victory for reproductive freedom. But the integrity of Roe eroded over the last few decades. Particularly in recent years, states like Mississippi and Texas have brought legal challenges to the decision by imposing increasingly restrictive abortion laws. These challenges coincide with a new, 6-3 conservative majority on the Supreme Court.
An estimated 26 states would certainly or likely move to ban abortion if Roe is overturned, according to the Guttmacher Institute. This would disproportionately impact abortion access for those with limited financial resources. The most commonly cited reason for seeking an abortion was “socioeconomic concerns,” according to a 2017 study of people who got abortions across 14 countries, including the U.S. Abortions in the U.S. can cost up to $750, depending on the state, clinic, and health insurance coverage, a number that does not include the additional costs associated with crossing state lines, including travel and lodging.
Christie Citranglo contributed reporting for this story.
Emma Rubin // Stacker
A leaked Supreme Court draft ruling that would overturn Roe v. Wade, dated in February and published May 2 by Politico, was confirmed as authentic by Chief Justice John Roberts on May 3.
Votes can change between initial drafts and final rulings, and abortion is still legal in all 50 states and Washington D.C. Still, the leaked document sparked shock, outrage, and protests among those who see the document as a harbinger of what’s to come when the final ruling is announced in June or early July. The publication of the court’s initial draft is unprecedented in history and has been compared by some to the release of the Pentagon Papers.
To explore what overturning Roe v. Wade might mean for abortion access across the United States, Stacker analyzed data from the Guttmacher Institute’s driving distance dataset that aggregates population data at a geographic unit between 600 and 3,000 people. This dataset further determines the median distance from abortion clinics for women of reproductive age—defined in this analysis between the ages of 15 and 49—across 26 states likely to ban or severely restrict abortion access should Roe be overturned. Although Guttmacher’s data relies on census data, which collects gender data as binary, abortion access impacts people beyond those who identify as women.
The landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision put federal protections for abortion rights in place for the first time in U.S. history, marking a major victory for reproductive freedom. But the integrity of Roe eroded over the last few decades. Particularly in recent years, states like Mississippi and Texas have brought legal challenges to the decision by imposing increasingly restrictive abortion laws. These challenges coincide with a new, 6-3 conservative majority on the Supreme Court.
An estimated 26 states would certainly or likely move to ban abortion if Roe is overturned, according to the Guttmacher Institute. This would disproportionately impact abortion access for those with limited financial resources. The most commonly cited reason for seeking an abortion was “socioeconomic concerns,” according to a 2017 study of people who got abortions across 14 countries, including the U.S. Abortions in the U.S. can cost up to $750, depending on the state, clinic, and health insurance coverage, a number that does not include the additional costs associated with crossing state lines, including travel and lodging.
Christie Citranglo contributed reporting for this story.
Democrats’ effort to secure Roe v. Wade falls to filibuster
Randy Leonard // Stacker
Until a decision is reached by the Supreme Court this summer, abortion will remain legal in all 50 states and Washington D.C. Overturning Roe v. Wade would not immediately outlaw abortion across the U.S., but it would give states the right to determine the legality of the procedure.
Under current conditions, at what stage and under what circumstances abortions can be performed varies from state to state. In those with the tightest restrictions, multiple bans exist to limit access now and potentially in the future should Roe fall. Bans on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy are enacted in 13 states and are among the most restrictive laws on the books.
Thirteen states have trigger bans that effectively signal intent and establish preemptive legislation to ban abortion in the event that Roe is overturned. If a reversal ruling is reached—acting as the trigger—then the proactive laws established in these states would take effect almost immediately.
Near-total bans include laws that restrict all abortions with certain exceptions like saving the life of the parent or cases of rape.
Some states had abortion bans in place prior to the Roe decision, which became unenforceable after 1973. If Roe falls, these states could seek to reinforce these bans assuming they were never declared unconstitutional.
Four state constitutions have amendments that declare they are not obligated to protect a right to abortion.
Randy Leonard // Stacker
Until a decision is reached by the Supreme Court this summer, abortion will remain legal in all 50 states and Washington D.C. Overturning Roe v. Wade would not immediately outlaw abortion across the U.S., but it would give states the right to determine the legality of the procedure.
Under current conditions, at what stage and under what circumstances abortions can be performed varies from state to state. In those with the tightest restrictions, multiple bans exist to limit access now and potentially in the future should Roe fall. Bans on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy are enacted in 13 states and are among the most restrictive laws on the books.
Thirteen states have trigger bans that effectively signal intent and establish preemptive legislation to ban abortion in the event that Roe is overturned. If a reversal ruling is reached—acting as the trigger—then the proactive laws established in these states would take effect almost immediately.
Near-total bans include laws that restrict all abortions with certain exceptions like saving the life of the parent or cases of rape.
Some states had abortion bans in place prior to the Roe decision, which became unenforceable after 1973. If Roe falls, these states could seek to reinforce these bans assuming they were never declared unconstitutional.
Four state constitutions have amendments that declare they are not obligated to protect a right to abortion.
Democrats’ effort to secure Roe v. Wade falls to filibuster
Emma Rubin // Stacker
A person seeking a legal abortion in the U.S. travels on average 25 miles to reach a clinic. If Roe v. Wade is overturned, that average distance could increase to 125 miles as clinics in states with abortion bans would likely be forced to close, according to the Myers Abortion Facility Database.
This travel burden becomes more severe in regions experiencing disproportionately low access to reproductive health care and states with restrictive anti-abortion legislation. The north-to-south corridor between North Dakota and Texas, for example, has a high concentration of counties already traveling roughly 250 miles to reach an abortion provider. Some even travel up to 350 miles.
Disparities in abortion access similarly exist in the southern U.S. In the possible reversal of Roe, travel distances in Louisiana could increase from 37 miles, or around half an hour of driving time, to 666 miles just one way—representing more than 11 hours of nonstop driving, and the largest increase in distance of any state.
Residents could have to travel as far as Maryland for legal abortions, according to Michelle Erenberg, director at reproductive health advocacy group Lift Louisiana, in an email interview with Stacker.
“Lawmakers have become much more radicalized in their views on abortion,” Erenberg said, “which has led to more radical policies.” She pointed to new legislation up for review in her home state, HB813, or “The Abolition of Abortion in Louisiana Act of 2022.”
“Under this law, Louisiana can refuse to comply with decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court,” Erenberg said. “Abortion would be considered a homicide, and attempting to get an abortion could be prosecuted as attempted murder or criminal battery.”
Increased travel distances bring increased travel costs, potentially longer wait times to receive care, and time away from work and familial responsibilities. These barriers will disproportionately affect low-income Americans' access to safe and legal abortions.
A 2021 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed that increases in distance to the nearest abortion care facility were associated with significant reductions in legal abortion rates. Conversely, when travel distances were reduced, legal abortion rates increased. Researchers estimate there would be more than 70,000 additional legal abortions each year if disparities in travel distances were eliminated.
It should be noted determining the exact number of illegal abortions and pregnancies reluctantly carried to term due to a lack of care is difficult to quantify as this data on this is often not reported or logged.
Emma Rubin // Stacker
A person seeking a legal abortion in the U.S. travels on average 25 miles to reach a clinic. If Roe v. Wade is overturned, that average distance could increase to 125 miles as clinics in states with abortion bans would likely be forced to close, according to the Myers Abortion Facility Database.
This travel burden becomes more severe in regions experiencing disproportionately low access to reproductive health care and states with restrictive anti-abortion legislation. The north-to-south corridor between North Dakota and Texas, for example, has a high concentration of counties already traveling roughly 250 miles to reach an abortion provider. Some even travel up to 350 miles.
Disparities in abortion access similarly exist in the southern U.S. In the possible reversal of Roe, travel distances in Louisiana could increase from 37 miles, or around half an hour of driving time, to 666 miles just one way—representing more than 11 hours of nonstop driving, and the largest increase in distance of any state.
Residents could have to travel as far as Maryland for legal abortions, according to Michelle Erenberg, director at reproductive health advocacy group Lift Louisiana, in an email interview with Stacker.
“Lawmakers have become much more radicalized in their views on abortion,” Erenberg said, “which has led to more radical policies.” She pointed to new legislation up for review in her home state, HB813, or “The Abolition of Abortion in Louisiana Act of 2022.”
“Under this law, Louisiana can refuse to comply with decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court,” Erenberg said. “Abortion would be considered a homicide, and attempting to get an abortion could be prosecuted as attempted murder or criminal battery.”
Increased travel distances bring increased travel costs, potentially longer wait times to receive care, and time away from work and familial responsibilities. These barriers will disproportionately affect low-income Americans' access to safe and legal abortions.
A 2021 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed that increases in distance to the nearest abortion care facility were associated with significant reductions in legal abortion rates. Conversely, when travel distances were reduced, legal abortion rates increased. Researchers estimate there would be more than 70,000 additional legal abortions each year if disparities in travel distances were eliminated.
It should be noted determining the exact number of illegal abortions and pregnancies reluctantly carried to term due to a lack of care is difficult to quantify as this data on this is often not reported or logged.
Democrats’ effort to secure Roe v. Wade falls to filibuster
Emma Rubin // Stacker
The influx of abortion seekers to so-called clinic states—or states that have legal protections for abortion in place—is predicted to be large should Roe v. Wade be overturned. Projecting which states will see the largest increases has everything to do with geography.
A large influx of abortion-seekers is projected to look for services in North Carolina due to its proximity to many southeastern states where abortion is certain or likely to be banned if Roe is overturned. But unlike Illinois, the legal status of abortion in North Carolina is tenuous and highly dependent on whether anti-abortion candidates are successful in the state’s midterm elections over the coming months. The debate over abortion rights in North Carolina will likely be decided, at least for the time being, in 2023.
Clinics in North Carolina have already seen an increase over the past year of out-of-state abortion seekers, with some coming from as far as Texas in search of services, according to Amber Gavin, the vice president of Advocacy and Operations at A Woman’s Choice, a group of North Carolina and Florida-based abortion clinics. And if Roe is overturned, Gavin expects those numbers will keep climbing.
“I do think we’re going to see probably well over 50% to 80% [more] patients than what we’re currently seeing,” she told Stacker in an interview.
Gavin also said A Woman’s Choice clinics are considering hiring more staff and physicians to accommodate the influx. “We’re working really hard with our staff, with abortion funds, with advocates on the ground to make sure that people who need and want that care are able to get it,” she said.
Illinois has long been a reproductive care hub for Midwesterners. Out-of-state patients seeking abortions rose from 2,970 in 2014 to 9,686 in 2020, according to Illinois Department of Public Health data. These numbers are projected to continue to rise as people come from Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Ohio, Missouri, and even some Southern states. To increase access, two Planned Parenthood clinics have opened in recent years along the Illinois border. The state is one of the few in the Midwest where the right to abortion is certain to be protected long-term.
Many clinic states have made moves since 2019 to fund abortion services and codify abortion. Vermont, for instance, passed Act 47, which preserves the right to reproductive choice, including abortion, in the year following the appointment of Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Several other states followed suit, including California, Connecticut, Oregon, Maine, and Illinois. The subsequent appointment of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court in 2020 cemented the court’s conservative supermajority and encouraged legal challenges to Roe v. Wade in 2021.
Some states have already taken steps to ensure access to safe abortions for people crossing state lines.
In 2019, New York funded the New York Abortion Access Fund, intended to help low-income abortion seekers from other states travel to New York for services. In March 2022, California passed SB 245, an act that eliminates out-of-pocket costs for abortions for those who have private insurance, as well as those on California’s Medicaid. In Oregon, legislators passed the Reproductive Health Equity Fund, which allocates $15 million to expand abortion services, including helping to cover expenses of those traveling to Oregon for abortions. And Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont is planning to sign a bill that would shield Connecticut abortion providers and out-of-state patients from being sued by states where abortion—even outside the state—is illegal.
Emma Rubin // Stacker
The influx of abortion seekers to so-called clinic states—or states that have legal protections for abortion in place—is predicted to be large should Roe v. Wade be overturned. Projecting which states will see the largest increases has everything to do with geography.
A large influx of abortion-seekers is projected to look for services in North Carolina due to its proximity to many southeastern states where abortion is certain or likely to be banned if Roe is overturned. But unlike Illinois, the legal status of abortion in North Carolina is tenuous and highly dependent on whether anti-abortion candidates are successful in the state’s midterm elections over the coming months. The debate over abortion rights in North Carolina will likely be decided, at least for the time being, in 2023.
Clinics in North Carolina have already seen an increase over the past year of out-of-state abortion seekers, with some coming from as far as Texas in search of services, according to Amber Gavin, the vice president of Advocacy and Operations at A Woman’s Choice, a group of North Carolina and Florida-based abortion clinics. And if Roe is overturned, Gavin expects those numbers will keep climbing.
“I do think we’re going to see probably well over 50% to 80% [more] patients than what we’re currently seeing,” she told Stacker in an interview.
Gavin also said A Woman’s Choice clinics are considering hiring more staff and physicians to accommodate the influx. “We’re working really hard with our staff, with abortion funds, with advocates on the ground to make sure that people who need and want that care are able to get it,” she said.
Illinois has long been a reproductive care hub for Midwesterners. Out-of-state patients seeking abortions rose from 2,970 in 2014 to 9,686 in 2020, according to Illinois Department of Public Health data. These numbers are projected to continue to rise as people come from Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Ohio, Missouri, and even some Southern states. To increase access, two Planned Parenthood clinics have opened in recent years along the Illinois border. The state is one of the few in the Midwest where the right to abortion is certain to be protected long-term.
Many clinic states have made moves since 2019 to fund abortion services and codify abortion. Vermont, for instance, passed Act 47, which preserves the right to reproductive choice, including abortion, in the year following the appointment of Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Several other states followed suit, including California, Connecticut, Oregon, Maine, and Illinois. The subsequent appointment of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court in 2020 cemented the court’s conservative supermajority and encouraged legal challenges to Roe v. Wade in 2021.
Some states have already taken steps to ensure access to safe abortions for people crossing state lines.
In 2019, New York funded the New York Abortion Access Fund, intended to help low-income abortion seekers from other states travel to New York for services. In March 2022, California passed SB 245, an act that eliminates out-of-pocket costs for abortions for those who have private insurance, as well as those on California’s Medicaid. In Oregon, legislators passed the Reproductive Health Equity Fund, which allocates $15 million to expand abortion services, including helping to cover expenses of those traveling to Oregon for abortions. And Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont is planning to sign a bill that would shield Connecticut abortion providers and out-of-state patients from being sued by states where abortion—even outside the state—is illegal.
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Amanda Andrade-Rhoades
Abortion rights demonstrators rally, Saturday, May 14, 2022, on the National Mall in Washington, during protests across the country. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades)
Amanda Andrade-Rhoades
Abortion rights demonstrators rally, Saturday, May 14, 2022, on the National Mall in Washington, during protests across the country. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Jeenah Moon
Protesters hold up signs during an abortion rights demonstration, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in New York. Demonstrators rallied from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women's right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Jeenah Moon)
Jeenah Moon
Protesters hold up signs during an abortion rights demonstration, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in New York. Demonstrators rallied from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women's right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Jeenah Moon)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Jacquelyn Martin
Abortion rights demonstrators rally, Saturday, May 14, 2022, outside the Supreme Court in Washington. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Jacquelyn Martin
Abortion rights demonstrators rally, Saturday, May 14, 2022, outside the Supreme Court in Washington. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Eric Gay
Abortion rights demonstrators attend a rally at the Texas Capitol, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Austin, Texas. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. More (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Eric Gay
Abortion rights demonstrators attend a rally at the Texas Capitol, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Austin, Texas. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. More (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Eric Gay
Abortion rights demonstrators holds signs during a rally at the Texas Capitol, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Austin, Texas. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. More (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Eric Gay
Abortion rights demonstrators holds signs during a rally at the Texas Capitol, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Austin, Texas. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. More (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Eric Gay
Abortion rights demonstrators attend a rally at the Texas Capitol, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Austin, Texas. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. More (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Eric Gay
Abortion rights demonstrators attend a rally at the Texas Capitol, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Austin, Texas. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. More (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Jacquelyn Martin
Capitol police officers on bicycles clear abortion demonstrators off the street, Saturday, May 14, 2022, outside the Supreme Court in Washington, ahead of the main march that was expected to start marching from the Washington Monument, during protests across the country. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Jacquelyn Martin
Capitol police officers on bicycles clear abortion demonstrators off the street, Saturday, May 14, 2022, outside the Supreme Court in Washington, ahead of the main march that was expected to start marching from the Washington Monument, during protests across the country. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Jacquelyn Martin
An entrance to the U.S. Capitol is secured ahead of an abortion rights demonstrators march, Saturday, May 14, 2022, to the Supreme Court in Washington, during protests across the country. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Jacquelyn Martin
An entrance to the U.S. Capitol is secured ahead of an abortion rights demonstrators march, Saturday, May 14, 2022, to the Supreme Court in Washington, during protests across the country. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Jacquelyn Martin
Capitol police officers clear abortion rights demonstrators off the street, Saturday, May 14, 2022, outside the Supreme Court in Washington, ahead of the main march that was expected to start marching from the Washington Monument, during protests across the country. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Jacquelyn Martin
Capitol police officers clear abortion rights demonstrators off the street, Saturday, May 14, 2022, outside the Supreme Court in Washington, ahead of the main march that was expected to start marching from the Washington Monument, during protests across the country. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Eric Gay
Abortion rights demonstrators hold signs during a rally at the Texas Capitol, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Austin, Texas. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. More (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Eric Gay
Abortion rights demonstrators hold signs during a rally at the Texas Capitol, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Austin, Texas. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. More (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Jacquelyn Martin
EDS NOTE: OBSCENITY - Abortion rights demonstrators rally, Saturday, May 14, 2022, outside the Supreme Court in Washington, during protests across the country. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Jacquelyn Martin
EDS NOTE: OBSCENITY - Abortion rights demonstrators rally, Saturday, May 14, 2022, outside the Supreme Court in Washington, during protests across the country. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Denise Cathey
Organizing manager Cathy Torres for Frontera Fund, which works to make abortion accessible in the Rio Grande Valley, is shown Saturday, May 14, 2022, as part of the nationwide Bans Off Our Bodies Rally in Brownsville, Texas. The rally comes following a leaked draft opinion by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito last week, that suggests the conservative justices are prepared to overturn Roe v. Wade. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald via AP)
Denise Cathey
Organizing manager Cathy Torres for Frontera Fund, which works to make abortion accessible in the Rio Grande Valley, is shown Saturday, May 14, 2022, as part of the nationwide Bans Off Our Bodies Rally in Brownsville, Texas. The rally comes following a leaked draft opinion by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito last week, that suggests the conservative justices are prepared to overturn Roe v. Wade. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald via AP)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Denise Cathey
A volunteer straightens out a t-shirt that reads 'our bodies, our futures, our abortions" Saturday, May 14, 2022, as part of the nationwide Bans Off Our Bodies Rally in Brownsville, Texas. The rally comes following a leaked draft opinion by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito last week, that suggests the conservative justices are prepared to overturn Roe v. Wade. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald via AP)
Denise Cathey
A volunteer straightens out a t-shirt that reads 'our bodies, our futures, our abortions" Saturday, May 14, 2022, as part of the nationwide Bans Off Our Bodies Rally in Brownsville, Texas. The rally comes following a leaked draft opinion by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito last week, that suggests the conservative justices are prepared to overturn Roe v. Wade. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald via AP)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Denise Cathey
Demonstrators wave their signs in the air as they listen to speeches from local organizers Saturday, May 14, 2022, as part of the nationwide Bans Off Our Bodies Rally in Brownsville, Texas. The rally comes following a leaked draft opinion by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito last week, that suggests the conservative justices are prepared to overturn Roe v. Wade. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald via AP)
Denise Cathey
Demonstrators wave their signs in the air as they listen to speeches from local organizers Saturday, May 14, 2022, as part of the nationwide Bans Off Our Bodies Rally in Brownsville, Texas. The rally comes following a leaked draft opinion by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito last week, that suggests the conservative justices are prepared to overturn Roe v. Wade. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald via AP)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Denise Cathey
"My Body My Choice" is written in marker on Ada Sadlier's thighs Saturday, May 14, 2022, as part of the nationwide Bans Off Our Bodies Rally in Brownsville, Texas. The rally comes following a leaked draft opinion by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito last week, that suggests the conservative justices are prepared to overturn Roe v. Wade. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald via AP)
Denise Cathey
"My Body My Choice" is written in marker on Ada Sadlier's thighs Saturday, May 14, 2022, as part of the nationwide Bans Off Our Bodies Rally in Brownsville, Texas. The rally comes following a leaked draft opinion by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito last week, that suggests the conservative justices are prepared to overturn Roe v. Wade. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald via AP)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Denise Cathey
Viviana Treviño holds up a coat hanger sign she made Saturday, May 14, 2022, at the nationwide Bans Off Our Bodies Rally in Brownsville, Texas. The rally comes following a leaked draft opinion by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito last week, that suggests the conservative justices are prepared to overturn Roe v. Wade. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald via AP)
Denise Cathey
Viviana Treviño holds up a coat hanger sign she made Saturday, May 14, 2022, at the nationwide Bans Off Our Bodies Rally in Brownsville, Texas. The rally comes following a leaked draft opinion by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito last week, that suggests the conservative justices are prepared to overturn Roe v. Wade. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald via AP)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Cara Owsley
Abortion rights protesters gather at Fountain Square in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, May 14, 2022 . Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women's right to an abortion. (Cara Owsley /The Cincinnati Enquirer via AP)
Cara Owsley
Abortion rights protesters gather at Fountain Square in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, May 14, 2022 . Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women's right to an abortion. (Cara Owsley /The Cincinnati Enquirer via AP)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Cara Owsley
A demonstrator yells an abortion rights protest Saturday, May 14, 2022 at Fountain Square in downtown Cincinnati. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women's right to an abortion. (Cara Owsley /The Cincinnati Enquirer via AP)
Cara Owsley
A demonstrator yells an abortion rights protest Saturday, May 14, 2022 at Fountain Square in downtown Cincinnati. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women's right to an abortion. (Cara Owsley /The Cincinnati Enquirer via AP)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Matt Marton
Kids on the shoulder of adults hold signs during an abortions rights rally, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Chicago. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)
Matt Marton
Kids on the shoulder of adults hold signs during an abortions rights rally, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Chicago. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Matt Marton
Jacqueline Von Edelbe stands holds a sign with other Abortion rights demonstrators Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Chicago. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)
Matt Marton
Jacqueline Von Edelbe stands holds a sign with other Abortion rights demonstrators Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Chicago. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Matt Marton
Abortion rights demonstrators rallySaturday, May 14, 2022, in Chicago. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)
Matt Marton
Abortion rights demonstrators rallySaturday, May 14, 2022, in Chicago. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Matt Marton
Staff members of the Family Planning Association clinic greet abortion rights demonstrators Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Chicago. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)
Matt Marton
Staff members of the Family Planning Association clinic greet abortion rights demonstrators Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Chicago. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Matt Marton
Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton speaks with other abortion rights demonstrators Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Chicago. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)
Matt Marton
Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton speaks with other abortion rights demonstrators Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Chicago. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Pat Nabong
Abortion rights demonstrators rally in Chicago's West Town neighborhood, Saturday morning, May 14, 2022. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. (Pat Nabong /Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
Pat Nabong
Abortion rights demonstrators rally in Chicago's West Town neighborhood, Saturday morning, May 14, 2022. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. (Pat Nabong /Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Pat Nabong
Lena waves a flag during Rally for Abortion Justice during a protest at Union Park in Chicago's West Town neighborhood, Saturday morning, May 14, 2022. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. (Pat Nabong /Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
Pat Nabong
Lena waves a flag during Rally for Abortion Justice during a protest at Union Park in Chicago's West Town neighborhood, Saturday morning, May 14, 2022. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. (Pat Nabong /Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Pat Nabong
Abortion rights demonstrators rally at Union Park in Chicago's West Town neighborhood, Saturday morning, May 14, 2022. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. (Pat Nabong /Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
Pat Nabong
Abortion rights demonstrators rally at Union Park in Chicago's West Town neighborhood, Saturday morning, May 14, 2022. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. (Pat Nabong /Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Pat Nabong
Abortion rights demonstrators rally in Chicago's West Town neighborhood, Saturday morning, May 14, 2022. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. (Pat Nabong /Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
Pat Nabong
Abortion rights demonstrators rally in Chicago's West Town neighborhood, Saturday morning, May 14, 2022. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. (Pat Nabong /Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Pat Nabong
Jessica Chelmecki, 30 and Bryan Hardnacki, 37, dress as Handmaids Tale characters during protest at Union Park in Chicago's West Town neighborhood, Saturday morning, May 14, 2022. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. (Pat Nabong /Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
Pat Nabong
Jessica Chelmecki, 30 and Bryan Hardnacki, 37, dress as Handmaids Tale characters during protest at Union Park in Chicago's West Town neighborhood, Saturday morning, May 14, 2022. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. (Pat Nabong /Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Pat Nabong
Abortion rights advocate Rinda West raises her fist during a protest at Union Park in Chicago's West Town neighborhood, Saturday morning, May 14, 2022. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. (Pat Nabong /Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
Pat Nabong
Abortion rights advocate Rinda West raises her fist during a protest at Union Park in Chicago's West Town neighborhood, Saturday morning, May 14, 2022. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. (Pat Nabong /Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Amanda Andrade-Rhoades
Abortion rights demonstrators rally, Saturday, May 14, 2022, on the National Mall in Washington. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades)
Amanda Andrade-Rhoades
Abortion rights demonstrators rally, Saturday, May 14, 2022, on the National Mall in Washington. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Jeenah Moon
New York Attorney General Letitia James, front row third from right, marches with protestors across the Brooklyn Bridge during an abortion rights demonstration, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in New York. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women's right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Jeenah Moon)
Jeenah Moon
New York Attorney General Letitia James, front row third from right, marches with protestors across the Brooklyn Bridge during an abortion rights demonstration, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in New York. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women's right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Jeenah Moon)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Jeenah Moon
Protestors begin crossing the Brooklyn Bridge during an abortion rights demonstration, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in New York. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women's right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Jeenah Moon)
Jeenah Moon
Protestors begin crossing the Brooklyn Bridge during an abortion rights demonstration, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in New York. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women's right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Jeenah Moon)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Jeenah Moon
A protestor holds up a sign of former Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg during an abortion rights demonstration, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in New York. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women's right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Jeenah Moon)
Jeenah Moon
A protestor holds up a sign of former Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg during an abortion rights demonstration, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in New York. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women's right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Jeenah Moon)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Jay Janner
Abortion rights demonstrators rally at the Capitol in Austin, Texas, on Saturday May 14, 2022. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
Jay Janner
Abortion rights demonstrators rally at the Capitol in Austin, Texas, on Saturday May 14, 2022. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Jeenah Moon
Protesters rally during an abortion rights demonstration, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in New York. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women's right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Jeenah Moon)
Jeenah Moon
Protesters rally during an abortion rights demonstration, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in New York. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women's right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Jeenah Moon)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Jeenah Moon
Protestors rally in Cadman Plaza during an abortion rights demonstration, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women's right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Jeenah Moon)
Jeenah Moon
Protestors rally in Cadman Plaza during an abortion rights demonstration, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women's right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Jeenah Moon)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Jeenah Moon
Protestors rally in Cadman Plaza during an abortion rights demonstration, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women's right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Jeenah Moon)
Jeenah Moon
Protestors rally in Cadman Plaza during an abortion rights demonstration, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women's right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Jeenah Moon)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Jeenah Moon
Protestors hold up signs during a rally in Cadman Plaza during an abortion rights demonstration, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women's right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Jeenah Moon)
Jeenah Moon
Protestors hold up signs during a rally in Cadman Plaza during an abortion rights demonstration, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women's right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Jeenah Moon)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Jacquelyn Martin
A Capitol police officer asks abortion rights demonstrators to move off the street, Saturday, May 14, 2022, outside the Supreme Court in Washington, ahead of the main march that was expected to start marching from the Washington Monument. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Jacquelyn Martin
A Capitol police officer asks abortion rights demonstrators to move off the street, Saturday, May 14, 2022, outside the Supreme Court in Washington, ahead of the main march that was expected to start marching from the Washington Monument. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women’s right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls
Jeenah Moon
Protesters cross the Brooklyn Bridge during an abortion rights demonstration, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in New York. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women's right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Jeenah Moon)
Jeenah Moon
Protesters cross the Brooklyn Bridge during an abortion rights demonstration, Saturday, May 14, 2022, in New York. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women's right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Jeenah Moon)
If Roe v. Wade is overturned, more people could find themselves needing a third-trimester abortion. RgStudio/E+ via Getty Images
Emma Rubin // Stacker