Despite state bans, abortions have almost doubled in the U.S.

Four years ago, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Yet there are nearly twice as many abortions in the U.S. as before. That's because abortion pills are now being prescribed online and mailed. STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: On June 24, it will be four years since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which had given women the right to abortion nationwide. Now we have new information on abortions from the Society of Family Planning. And what do you know? The number of abortions has gone up. There are nearly twice as many abortions occurring in the United States as before the ruling. Kate Wells is with our partner KFF Health News, and she's going to explain how this happened. Hi there, Kate. KATE WELLS, BYLINE: Hey, Steve. INSKEEP: How could it be that the number of abortions would go up so dramatically at a time when something close to half the states have restricted access? WELLS: Yeah, well, the short answer is telehealth. It used to be that you could only get the abortion pill mifepristone by actually going to see a doctor in person. The FDA removed that restriction during the pandemic, and then in 2022, when Roe v. Wade fell, we saw this proliferation of these online and telehealth companies that will essentially mail you the pill to your home over state lines. And that has made it easier in places like Louisiana to get these abortion pills now than it was, you know, when Roe v. Wade was still the law of the land. …