The Oregon Health Authority updated its online abortion data dashboard on August 13. The report tracks how many abortions of any kind have been performed in the state through the month of June in 2024.
Halfway through the year, over 4,300 unborn babies have been aborted in Oregon, including 736 whose mothers traveled from other states for their abortions. Unsurprisingly, Oregon’s two most populous counties (Multnomah and Washington) had the highest number of abortions by county at 1,217 and 405, respectively. Marion County, the fifth most populous county, came in third at 398.
Two counties — Morrow and Lake — reported zero abortions at the year’s halfway point, while eight others, none in Western Oregon, had five or fewer. February proved the deadliest month so far of 2024, with 876 reported abortions, or more than 31 a day.
Though the report does not give a breakdown until the year’s end of what kind of abortions were happening, whether surgical or drug-induced, past statistics indicate that a rising portion will be from chemical abortions (also known as RU-486 or the abortion pill). Drug-induced abortions rose almost 30% in 2022, for example, and their popularity has only grown since.
Oregon’s popularity as an “abortion tourist spot,” meanwhile, has also grown since the 2022 Dobbs decision returning the legality of abortion restrictions back to individual states. Oregon has no restrictions whatsoever. Resultantly, the 736 “abortion tourists” represent 17% of abortions performed in Oregon. That is nearly a two percent increase over the same statistic in 2023.
Thankfully, Oregon is on track to perform slightly fewer abortions in 2024 than it did in 2023, when 8,937 babies were aborted. Oregon Right to Life will keep working to lower that number further, aiming to empower and support women to choose life for their babies in an atmosphere of education, assistance and community thriving.
“This latest report from OHA indicates that Oregon Right to Life still has a lot of work to do, especially in the area of abortion tourism and abortion pill education,” says Lois Anderson, ORTL’s Executive Director. “But it’s work we are deeply passionate about, and one we will not quit until abortion has become unthinkable in our state.”
Access the latest report here.
