State Facts About Ohio National Background and Context .

Abortion is a common experience: At current rates, about three in ten • In 2011, 1.1 million American American women will have had an abortion by the time she reaches age women obtained abortions, 45. Moreover, a broad cross section of U.S. women have abortions. 58% producing a rate of 16.9 abortions of women having abortions are in their 20s; 61% have one or more per 1,000 women of reproductive children; 85% are unmarried; 69% are economically disadvantaged; and age. The rate is a decrease from 73% report a religious affiliation. No racial or ethnic group makes up a 2008, when the abortion rate was majority: 36% of women obtaining abortions are white non-Hispanic, 19.4 abortions per 1,000 women 30% are black non-Hispanic, 25% are Hispanic and 9% are of other 15-44. racial backgrounds. Contraceptive use is a key predictor of women's recourse to abortion. • In 2011, 28,590 women obtained The very small group of American women who are at risk of abortions in Ohio, producing a rate experiencing an unintended pregnancy but are not using contraceptives of 12.9 abortions per 1,000 women account for more than half of all abortions. Many of these women did of reproductive age. Some of these not think they would get pregnant or had concerns about contraceptive women were from other states, and methods. The remainder of abortions occur among the much larger group some Ohio residents had abortions of women who were using contraceptives in the month they became in other states, so this rate may not pregnant. Many of these women report difficulty using contraceptives reflect the abortion rate of state consistently. residents. The rate decreased 13% since 2008, when it was 14.8 Abortion is one of the safest surgical procedures for women in the abortions per 1,000 women 15-44. . Fewer than 0.5% of women obtaining abortions Abortions in Ohio represent 2.7% experience a complication, and the risk of death associated with abortion of all abortions in the United is about one-tenth that associated with childbirth. States.

In the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a Where Do Women Obtain woman, in consultation with her physician, has a constitutionally Abortions? protected right to choose abortion in the early stages of pregnancy-that is, before viability. In 1992, the Court upheld the basic right to abortion • In 2011, there were 1,720 abortion providers in the United in v. Casey. However, it also expanded the ability States. This is a slight (4%) of the states to enact all but the most extreme restrictions on women's decrease from 2008, when there access to abortion. The most common restrictions in effect are parental were 1,787 abortion providers. notification or consent requirements for minors, limitations on public Thirty-five percent of these providers were hospitals, 19% funding, and unnecessary and overly burdensome regulations on abortion were abortion (clinics facilities. where more than half of all patient visits were for abortion), 30% were Pregnancies and Their and 18% in abortions; the clinics where fewer than half of all Outcomes remaining 15% ended in visits were for abortion, and 17% miscarriage. were private physicians' offices. • In 2011, there were 6 million Sixty-three percent of all abortions pregnancies to the 63 million • In Ohio, 197,000 of the were provided at abortion clinics, women of reproductive age (15- 2,222,362 women of reproductive 31% at other clinics, 4% at 44) in the United States. Sixty- age became pregnant in 2011. hospitals and 1% at private seven percent of these 70% of these pregnancies resulted physicians' offices. pregnancies resulted in live births in live births and 15% in induced • In 2011, there were 26 abortion Restrictions on Abortion thereby preventing the use of a providers in Ohio; 18 of those more common, simpler evidence- were clinics. This represents no • A woman must receive state- based regimen. change in overall providers and a directed counseling that includes a 5% decline in clinics from information designed to • The parent of a minor must 2008, when there were 26 discourage her from having an consent before an abortion is abortion providers overall, of abortion and then wait 24 hours provided. which 19 were abortion clinics. before the procedure is provided. Counseling must be provided in • Public funding is available for • In 2011, 89% of U.S. counties person and must take place before abortion only in cases of life had no abortion . 38% of the waiting period begins, thereby endangerment, rape or incest. American women lived in these necessitating two separate trips to counties, which meant they the facility. • Most women will undergo an would have to travel outside their ultrasound before obtaining an to obtain an abortion. Of • Health plans that will be offered abortion; since the provider must women obtaining abortions in in the state’s health exchange test for the fetal heartbeat. The 2008, one-third traveled more under the Affordable Care Act woman will be offered the option than 25 miles. can only cover abortion in cases to view the image. when the woman's life is • In 2011, 91% of Ohio counties endangered, rape or incest. Definitions and Data Sources had no abortion clinic. 54% of References for information contained in Ohio women lived in these • Abortion is covered in insurance this fact sheet are available at counties. policies for public employees only http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/sfaa/sfaa in cases of life endangerment, -sources.html rape or incest.

• Medication abortion must be provided using the FDA protocol,

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