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How overturning ‘Roe v. Wade’ will affect abortion access in Pa., NJ

Here's what overturning abortion rights means in Pennsylvania.

People gather outside the Pennsylvania State Capitol Building for the Bans Off Our Bodies rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, October 2, 2021. The rally is part of demonstrations happening across the country defending women’s rights to seek abortions.
People gather outside the Pennsylvania State Capitol Building for the Bans Off Our Bodies rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, October 2, 2021. The rally is part of demonstrations happening across the country defending women’s rights to seek abortions.Read moreThomas Hengge / Staff Photographer

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday ruled that the Constitution does not guarantee the right to abortion, setting the stage for abortion access to be stripped away in much of the country, as states are left to decide whether and when people can terminate a pregnancy.

In a 6-3 decision on the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the court ruled that the Constitution does not protect abortion rights and states have authority to regulate access. The decision overturns the landmark abortion rights cases Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey that have guaranteed the right to abortion for nearly 50 years.

Here’s how the case affects abortion access in the Philadelphia area:

Abortion remains legal in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware

Abortion is legal in Pennsylvania through the 24th week of pregnancy, even though access is limited — only 14 of 67 counties have an abortion provider. Pennsylvania requires a doctor’s consultation and 24-hour wait before the procedure, and people under 18 must have a parent’s permission.

Abortion is legal in New Jersey and is codified in state law. New Jersey does not have gestational age restrictions, parental consent requirements, or waiting periods for abortion.

Abortion is legal in Delaware until the pregnancy is considered “viable,” at about 20 weeks.

People from states where abortion is now banned will likely turn to Pennsylvania

Twenty-six states — including Ohio and West Virginia, which share a border with Pennsylvania — have laws on the books to immediately ban or severely restrict abortion access with Roe overturned. Planned Parenthood estimates that 8,500 more out-of-state patients may seek care in Pennsylvania if they’re unable to get an abortion closer to home.

It may take longer to get an appointment

In anticipation of abortion rights being overturned, providers have been scrambling to hire more staff and expand hours to meet an influx of demand.

But an additional 8,500 out-of-state patients represents a 25% increase to the total number of abortion cases in Pennsylvania, and will strain local resources.

With providers already stretched thin, appointments may be delayed. Patient advocates and providers are concerned that this could push some people beyond the time that they are legally able to obtain an abortion.

You may have to drive farther to get to a clinic

Nineteen of the 22 abortion providers in Pennsylvania are located east of Harrisburg. The others are clustered in or near Pittsburgh, leaving a large swath in the middle of the state without an abortion provider.

Pittsburgh is expected to see the most significant surge of patients from states along Pennsylvania’s western border, but as clinics fill up, Philadelphia-area providers will also feel the strain, providers said.

That means anyone who needs an abortion may not be able to get an appointment at the clinic closest to them. Driving farther will mean more time off work and increased costs for travel and lodging, if you’re not able to return home between the mandatory doctor’s consultation and procedure.