Out-of-State Patients Make Up 75% of Kansas Abortions
Nearly three out of every four abortions performed in Kansas last year involved patients who traveled from other states, according to newly released state data that underscores Kansas’ growing role as a regional destination for the procedure.
The report, put out by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, reveals 19,811 abortions occurred in 2024. That’s the highest number recorded in Kansas since abortion was legalized in 1973. Of those, 15,048 – about 76% – were obtained by out-of-state residents, while 4,763 involved Kansas residents.
Texas again accounted for the largest share of nonresident clients, with 6,736 abortions performed on Texas residents in Kansas. Missouri followed with 3,760, and Oklahoma with 3,141. Smaller numbers came from Arkansas, Louisiana and Nebraska.
All abortions occurred before 22 weeks of pregnancy, the legal limit under Kansas law. Nearly 15,000 procedures, or about 75%, occurred before nine weeks gestation. Fewer than 3% took place after 16 weeks, according to the report.
While abortions among Kansas residents rose about 9% from 2023, the longer-term trend shows a decline. In 2005, Kansas residents accounted for more than 5,600 abortions. That number dropped to 4,763 in 2024, even as overall procedures surged because of out-of-state demand.
Pro-life groups say the figures reflect policy shifts beyond Kansas’ borders rather than a change in public opinion inside the state.
“The abortion numbers out of Kansas indicate that the fall of Roe v. Wade and the enactment of state pro-life laws have done little to prevent abortions in the U.S., especially as companies and organizations bend over backwards to shuffle women, and apparently minors, across state lines to abort their babies,” Live Action said in a statement reacting to the data.
Kansas for Life has also argued that Kansas has become a destination state because neighboring legislatures moved to restrict abortion following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade. The organization criticized the timing of the report’s release, which came on Dec. 31, saying it limited public scrutiny.
The data show a sharp rise in abortions involving minors. There were 552 abortions performed on girls under age 18 in 2024, up from 376 the year before – a 47% increase. Many of those minors traveled from Texas, Missouri and Oklahoma.
Abortion-rights advocates and some analysts point to increased access within Kansas itself. “The increase also reflects expanded capacity at Kansas clinics, which have opened new branches and hired additional staff since demand for appointments exploded as a result of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which enabled many nearby states to ban abortion,” KMUW News reported.
Abortion remains legal in Kansas through 22 weeks of pregnancy, with parental consent required for minors. Since a 2019 Kansas Supreme Court ruling found a right to abortion in the state constitution, the number of abortion facilities has more than doubled, cementing Kansas’ role in the regional abortion landscape.
–Dwight Widaman | Metro Voice
