This is probably something I should have seen coming.
Texas’ abortion ban didn’t just affect Texans — it squeezed Coloradans’ access to care, delaying procedures and spiking second-trimester abortions, a new JAMA Network Open study suggests.
Why it matters: While much of the focus has been on Texans flooding Colorado clinics, these findings reveal broader ripples that impacted residents of a state where abortion remains legal.
The big picture: The study, led by Colorado State University researchers, underscores how interconnected our health care system is beyond state borders.
By the numbers: The percentage of abortions in Colorado provided to out-of-staters jumped from 13% in 2020 to 30% by 2023, the study found.
- Amid the surge in demand, Colorado residents were 83% more likely to undergo second-trimester abortions after Texas’ ban took effect in September 2021.
- Peak strain on Colorado’s health care system hit about six months after Texas’ ban kicked in.
What they’re saying: Colorado clinicians say the dramatic increase in patients from Texas created scheduling bottlenecks that delayed care for both out-of-state and local patients.
- The initial spike has leveled off, but demand for out-of-state abortion care remains above pre-ban levels.
What they did: CSU researchers analyzed Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment monthly abortion data from January 2018 to June 2024, including information on residency and gestational age.
As noted, the effect seems to have leveled out, and the expanded use of telehealth and abortion pills – for as long as they’re available, anyway – should also ease the burden. I’d like to see a similar study done on New Mexico, I bet there would be the same kind of effect. This is why there will continue to be pressure from the forced birth fanatics to attack access to abortion that the red states can’t control. That kind of thing is truly scary, but there’s no stopping these people. Lone Star Live has more.