Indiana has a near-total abortion ban. But hospitals still performed some in 2024
Less than 150 abortions were performed in Indiana in 2024, according to new data released by the Indiana Department of Health, a sharp decrease from prior years now that abortion is mostly illegal here.
By comparison, there were about 9,500 abortions performed here in 2022, the last full year before the state's near-total abortion ban went into effect.
Most of the 146 abortions in Indiana last year were to women who were well into their pregnancies - 14 weeks or more. Forty of those abortions were in pregnancies at over 21 weeks gestation.
More than 65% of the abortions took place due to a lethal fetal anomaly, such as anencephaly, where a baby's brain and skull were missing or incomplete, or congenital heart malformation.
Another 28% were due to a serious health or life risk of the pregnant woman, such as eclampsia, a sometimes fatal high-blood pressure condition, renal disease or premature placenta separation. Just 6% were due to rape or incest.
About half of the women were married at the time of receiving the abortion, and most have at least one child already.
All were performed at hospitals. In three cases, the fetus was born alive, according to the report. A 2024 Canadian study showed that second-trimester abortion carries a risk of live birth especially at 20 to 24 weeks gestation. Generally, babies born before 23 weeks have a very low survival rate, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
The data comes from Indiana Department of Health's latest summary of terminated pregnancy reports that are submitted to the state health department.
Abortion is mostly illegal in Indiana since an Indiana General Assembly near-ban went into effect in August 2023.
The law prohibits all abortions except in cases of rape, incest, fetal abnormalities or where the mother's life is at risk. In the cases of rape or incest, abortion is allowed up to 10 weeks.
Previously, abortion was legal in Indiana up to 22 weeks.
Court cases arguing that the ban in its entirety was unconstitutional did not survive the Indiana Supreme Court's 2023 ruling in favor of the state of Indiana.
However, another lawsuit that argues that Indiana's near-total ban violates the religious freedom of Hoosiers, is ongoing. The Indiana Supreme Court in December declined to take up an appeal on a lower court's preliminary injunction.
If those plaintiffs are eventually successful, it could open the door to more abortions here for those asking for religious exemptions.
Contact senior government accountability reporter Hayleigh Colombo at hcolombo@indystar.com. Sign up for our free weekly politics newsletter, Checks & Balances, by IndyStar political and government reporters.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana's abortion ban is strict. But some women are still getting them
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