A new study has found that demand for abortion hotlines spiked dramatically across the United States following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022.
The research, published by the Guttmacher Institute, analyzed call data from the National Abortion Federation's hotline and found a 25% increase in calls in the year after the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization ruling.
The study highlights how the loss of federal abortion protections led to confusion and increased need for information among people seeking reproductive healthcare. Researchers noted that callers often sought guidance on where to obtain services, legal restrictions in their states, and financial assistance for travel to states where abortion remained legal.
The findings underscore the ongoing impact of the Dobbs decision on access to abortion care, particularly in states with trigger laws that banned the procedure almost immediately. The study's authors call for expanded funding for reproductive health hotlines and clearer public information campaigns to address the heightened demand.