No one who is familiar with abortion research is surprised by this. Research has shown for years that when abortion is legal, the abortion rate decreases. When it’s illegal, it rises. The ideal abortion rate: the number of abortions acquired = the number of abortions requested.

Despite bans in some states, more than a million abortions were provided in 2023

That's the highest number in more than a decade, according to new research. Medication abortion made up a larger share of the total than in 2020.

Respectfully, I don't think research bears that out at all. I'm still not surprised by this, because I've seen and been part of the enormous effort by activists, organizers and medical providers to make self-managed abortion an option. But it wasn't a forgone conclusion.

One causation hypothesis that I can't shake might be significant: "abortion" doesn't distinguish between truly elective ("I don't want a baby right now") and a therapeutic choice ("I don't want to take the known risk that revealed itself later").

The ideal appendectomy rate: the number of appendectomies acquired = the number of appendectomies requested.