Both Abortion Restrictions and Proactive Protections Surged in 2017

Last year brought more abortion restrictions in the states than any year since 2013. In total, 19 states adopted 63 new laws restricting access to abortion services. At the same time, many states fought back with 21 states approving 58 measures to expand access to reproductive services, protect reproductive rights, or institute comprehensive sex education. With a significant increase in abortion restrictions since 2011, the Guttmacher Institute now qualifies 6 states as hostile to abortion rights and 23 states as extremely hostile. Approximately 58 percent of American women of reproductive age live in one of those states, while only 30 percent live in a state that has supportive abortion laws on the books.