Abortions in Kansas hit 21-year high

TOPEKA – State health officials have released abortion statistics for the Sunflower State for 2022, marking a steep increase in abortions taking place in Kansas.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) revealed updated data this month for abortions taking place in Kansas for the year 2022. These statistics show a large spike in the number of abortions with more than 12,000 reported in 2022, representing an increase of several thousand compared with previous years and the highest number reported since 2001.

The spike was largely due to an influx of out-of-state residents seeking abortions within Kansas. The year 2022 also marks the fourth-highest year for reported abortions in Kansas, according to the KDHE. Adding together reported abortions from 1981 (as far back as KDHE data allows) to present, nearly 400,000 abortions have been completed in Kansas.

Abortions in 2022 were primarily reported for out-of-state residents compared to Kansans at 8,475 to 3,843, according to the KDHE. The largest age group that completed abortions were between the ages of 20-24 years at 3,908. The most commonly used method for abortions in Kansas was through the administration of mifepristone (7,339), suction curettage (4,212) and dilation & evacuation (616).

The Kansas Supreme Court enshrined Kansan’s right to an abortion in the state’s constitution in 2019. The Supreme Court of the U.S. overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, prompting states like Kansas to put the question of abortion access to voters later that year. Kansans voted in favor of preserving access to abortions in an August Primary vote.