Michigan saw a significant surge in abortions in 2023, reaching a 30-year high following the adoption of a constitutional amendment protecting abortion access. The amendment, passed in 2022 after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, guarantees a “fundamental right” to abortion through 24 weeks of pregnancy and allows exceptions after viability in cases of physical or mental health risks to the mother. According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the state recorded 31,241 abortions, marking an increase of over 1,000 compared to the previous year. Women aged 20-24 accounted for the largest demographic, while teenagers made up over 8%. This rise continues a decade-long upward trend but represents an unprecedented level not seen since the 1990s.
The constitutional amendment also overturned Michigan’s pre-Roe abortion ban from 1931, a law that technically resurfaced after the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision. Despite the amendment, state data shows that two abortions were performed beyond the 24-week limit in 2023. Complications arising from abortions also saw an increase, rising from 1.7 per 10,000 procedures between 2020 and 2022 to 5.1 per 10,000 in 2023. Abortion measures have become a focal point for voters nationwide, with most ballot initiatives supporting expanded access, though exceptions include Florida, Nebraska, and South Dakota rejecting similar measures.
Key Points:
- Michigan’s abortion rates in 2023 reached 31,241, the highest in over three decades, following a 2022 constitutional amendment protecting access.
- The amendment ensures abortion rights through 24 weeks, with exceptions for post-viability cases affecting the mother’s health.
- Complications from abortions rose significantly in 2023, increasing from 1.7 to 5.1 per 10,000 procedures.
Blue State Abortions Hit 30-Year High After Post-Roe Constitutional Amendment
Abortions in Michigan reached unprecedented levels in 2023 after the state passed a constitutional amendment guaranteeing access to the procedure in 2022.
Approximately 31,241 abortions occurred in the state in 2023, an increase of over 1,000 compared to the prior year, hitting levels Michigan has not seen in over 30 years, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). The state enshrined a “fundamental right” to abortion access in 2022 after the historical fall of Roe v. Wade just a couple months prior.
Abortion in Michigan has been steadily rising since around 2010 but has not reached numbers this high since the 1990s, according to MDHHS. Women under the age of 20 accounted for over 8% of abortions for residents of the state and women aged 20-24 made up about 26%.
The state’s constitutional amendment passed overwhelmingly by more than a 10-point margin, guaranteeing abortion through 24 weeks of pregnancy and overturning a pre-Roe total ban on abortion from 1931 that state law technically defaulted to after the Supreme Court overturned the 1973 decision. The amendment also allows for abortions after viability in cases of physical or mental health to the mother, according to the amendment’s text.
At least two abortions in Michigan were performed after the 24-week mark in 2023, according to the state’s data. One of the abortions occurred after the 28th week of pregnancy.
The state reported 16 cases of complications resulting from abortions in 2023 compared to 15 total in the three years between 2020 and 2022, according to data released by the state. The complication rate increased from 1.7 per 10,00 abortions in those three years to 5.1 per 10,000 in 2023.
Abortion has been a major issue for voters in recent years, with 10 states seeing various abortion measures on their ballots in past November. Only 3 states — Florida, Nebraska and South Dakota — voted against enshrining a right to abortion into law.
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