Abortion Rates Rose in 2024 as Access to Pills by Mail Grew
Last Updated: July 09, 2026 | Medically Reviewed by: Dr. Alice Payne, MD (OB-GYN)
Abortion Rates Rose in 2024 as Access to Pills by Mail Grew
The rise in abortions in the United States in 2024 was largely due to easier access to abortion pills through mail and telemedicine, as stated in a recent report. The analysis, carried out by the Society of Family Planning's WeCount campaign, found that there were over 1.14 million abortions last year—almost 100,000 more than in 2023.
One of the major changes? The increasing use of abortion pills online. Every 1 in 4 abortions will be performed termination using abortion pills by mail following a telemedicine consultation. This is a huge shift from just a few years back when in-clinic visit in person was the primary option.
With people finding new ways to receive abortion care privately, there's a swift rise in abortions, especially in countries where such services are restricted or banned. Laws protecting the patients and telemedicine allow more people to get abortions from the comfort of their own homes, eliminating the need to travel far and violate the law.
The Key Point: When individuals can obtain abortion pills from trusted online sources for safe home abortions, they are more inclined to get the abortion care they need—quickly, discreetly, and according to their own preferences.
About the Author & Medical Reviewer
Dr. Alice Payne, MD, is a board-certified Obstetrician-Gynecologist (OB-GYN) with subspecialty training in Maternal-Fetal Medicine. She is a graduate of Stanford University School of Medicine and has over 10 years of clinical experience in reproductive and maternal healthcare. Dr. Payne serves as a medical reviewer for Pill Access, an educational telehealth platform focused on evidence-based reproductive healthcare content. She reviews medical content to ensure clinical accuracy, guideline adherence, and alignment with current ACOG and WHO standards.
