Reproductive
The Influence of Reproductive Access Restrictions on Out-of-State Abortion Care in Colorado, an Interrupted Time Series Analysis 2018-2023 Kelly DeBie* Kelly DeBie Andreas Neophytou Jennifer Peel Molly Gutilla Kayleigh Keller
Title: The Influence of Reproductive Access Restrictions on Out-of-State Abortion Care in Colorado, an Interrupted Time Series Analysis 2018-2023
Background: Abortion access in the United States has been shaped historically by Roe v. Wade, a case which created a Constitutional right to abortion. States seeking to challenge Roe passed laws more restrictive than Roe would permit. Texas’ SB8 was passed in 2021 and forbids abortion after detection of cardiac electrical activity around six weeks. Roe was overturned in 2022 removing the right to abortion and leaving reproductive care access decisions to states.
Methods: Utilizing data from January 2018 to August 2023 on induced termination of pregnancies from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, an interrupted time series analysis using Quasi-Poisson regression was used to assess the association between changes in law and monthly counts of patients from Texas traveling to Colorado for abortion services. The Texas SB8 enactment date was selected for the interruption point of the analysis.
Results: Texas residents were over 5 times more likely to travel to Colorado for abortion procedures after the enactment of SB8. Rate Ratio: 5.44, (95 % confidence interval: 1.81, 16.32).
Discussion: State restrictions on access to abortion may require patients to travel to other states for healthcare for abortion services. Changes observed here pre-date the repeal of Roe due to prior enacted Texas state law.
Conclusion: This study contributes evidence of changes in out-of-state patients seeking abortion in Colorado though these results may not be generalizable to other states. Here we can only account for those holding the privilege of having the ability and resources to travel to other states for these procedures, which may represent only a fraction of the total who would otherwise desire in-state services.
