Most US teen girls live in states with abortion limits

Image Credit: © Natalya Lys - stock.adobe.com.

A new study has found that two-thirds of teenage girls in the United States live in states with abortion bans, strict gestational limits, or parental involvement laws that may restrict their ability to access abortion services. The analysis highlights how recent legal changes, particularly after the 2022 Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, are affecting adolescents across the country.¹

The Dobbs decision overturned the constitutional right to abortion, allowing individual states to set their own policies. As a result, about half of all reproductive-age women now live in states that ban or severely limit abortion access. While much of the public discussion has focused on adults, adolescents face unique challenges that can further limit their access to care, including legal, logistical, and financial barriers.¹

"Minors are often targeted by restrictive policies and less able to use routes to abortion care common for adults–traveling to another state or using telehealth–leaving them disproportionately impacted," said Laura Lindberg, PhD, professor, Rutgers School of Public Health. "Without access to abortion, these girls have lost the ability to control their lives and their futures."²

Researchers conducted a cross-sectional study to assess how state abortion policies—especially those passed after Dobbs—affect adolescent girls. The study used publicly available data from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), the Guttmacher Institute, and US Census estimates. The goal was to better understand the number and distribution of female adolescents affected by abortion restrictions, both overall and within racial and ethnic subgroups.¹

As of December 20, 2024, 12 states had enacted complete abortion bans, and 10 others had imposed restrictive gestational limits ranging from six to 22 weeks. Additionally, as of September 1, 2023, 24 states, including the District of Columbia, required parental involvement—either through consent or notification—for minors seeking abortion care. This includes all 10 states with restrictive gestational limits and 14 of the remaining 29 states without bans or strict gestational limits.¹

In total, the study included 10,666,913 girls ages 13 to 17 across the United States. Among them, 24% (2,519,258) live in states with full abortion bans, and another 24% (2,512,969) live in states with gestational limits on abortion. When states with parental involvement laws are included, the number of adolescents facing abortion-related restrictions increases significantly. Overall, 66% of US teenage girls (7,080,485 individuals) live in states with at least one type of abortion restriction—whether a ban, a gestational limit, or a parental involvement requirement.¹

The study also found notable differences across racial and ethnic groups. The percentages of adolescents living in restrictive states were:

• 66% of American Indian or Alaska Native teens
• 43% of Asian teens
• 55% of Hispanic teens
• 36% of Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander teens
• 78% of non-Hispanic Black teens
• 72% of non-Hispanic White teens
• 62% of multiracial teens

These numbers reflect both the distribution of adolescent populations and the geographic variation in abortion policy. The findings suggest that adolescents from historically marginalized groups—particularly non-Hispanic Black and American Indian or Alaska Native teens—may be disproportionately affected by these laws.¹

While some adults may be able to travel to another state or use telehealth services to obtain abortion care, the study notes that such options are less available to adolescents, who may lack the financial resources or independence to pursue out-of-state care. In addition, parental involvement requirements can pose further obstacles for teens who may not feel safe or supported involving a parent in their decision.

The study authors note that their findings are limited by the use of 2020 Census population estimates and acknowledge that abortion laws continue to change rapidly across states. Still, the data offer a snapshot of how post-Dobbs policies are shaping access for adolescents, a group that faces unique challenges in seeking reproductive health care.¹

For obstetrician-gynecologists and other health care professionals working with adolescents, the findings underscore the importance of understanding both the legal environment and the specific barriers younger patients may encounter when seeking abortion care.

References:

1. Lindberg LD, Maslowsky J, Baum P. Implications of Abortion Restrictions for Adolescents. JAMA Pediatr. Published online April 7, 2025. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.0226

2. Zielinski P. Rutgers Health researchers find 7 million adolescents face severe obstacles to abortion access. April 7, 2025. Accessed April 10, 2025. https://www.rutgers.edu/news/two-thirds-us-adolescent-minors-are-impacted-state-abortion-restrictions