Impact of Clinic Closures on Women Obtaining Abortion Services After Implementation of a Restrictive Law in Texas

Abstract

Clinic closures after House Bill 2 resulted in significant burdens for women able to obtain care.

Lessons From Texas: Widespread Consequences of Assaults on Abortion Access

“…1 This study uses various measures of accessibility, availability and affordability to assess how Texas House Bill 2 (HB2), a multifaceted law passed in 2013, has complicated women's ability to obtain an abortion.…”

Assessing the impact of TRAP laws on abortion and women’s health in the USA: a systematic review

“…Other publications in our review did not offer a comparable estimate of out-of-state abortion, but one noted that this phenomenon may become increasingly rare among Texas residents given recently-enacted TRAP polices in neighbouring states 5. The clinic closures triggered by HB2 increased within-state travel burdens,5 17 with one study reporting an average four-fold increase in the distance to the closest provider 17. HB2 was also linked to increased costs5 17 and an increase in women’s self-reported hardship in obtaining abortions 17.…”

“…The clinic closures triggered by HB2 increased within-state travel burdens,5 17 with one study reporting an average four-fold increase in the distance to the closest provider 17. HB2 was also linked to increased costs5 17 and an increase in women’s self-reported hardship in obtaining abortions 17. However, while one analysis17 found no association between HB2 and gestational age at presentation, the other analysis of the same policy5 reported a slight increase in second-trimester abortion.…”

“…For example, findings from the survey-based study of women who successfully obtained abortions17 are unlikely to apply to the general population of abortion-seeking women, as women who were unable to obtain abortions were not represented. Likewise, evidence on supply-side policies regulating abortion in the second and third trimester18 is probably not generalisable to the broader population, as the majority of US abortions are in the first trimester 7.…”

Change over time in attitudes about abortion laws relative to recent restrictions in Texas

“…In response to ASC requirements [9] and admitting privileges [10], almost half of facilities in the state closed and the abortion rate and medical abortion decreased [10]. Women seeking abortions also faced more logistical (e.g., distance to travel to a clinic) and financial hardships [11]. …”