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California braces for Arizona residents after ruling on Civil War-era abortion law
Abortion procedures in California increased in the wake of the Supreme Court's historic overturn of Roe v. Wade in June 2022. Some providers speculated that people from out of state who were suddenly denied access sought care after new restrictions were imposed.
These same providers are now preparing for a second wave. They believe California could become a “hotspot” for Arizona residents after a decision by that state's Supreme Court on Tuesday to ban abortions except when a woman's life is in danger. The ruling does not exclude rape or incest.
In a “Twilight Zone” twist, Arizona will re-adopt an 1864 law… inspired by California's rules of the time.
Reporter Mackenzie Mays detailed the preparations made by several groups, including Planned Parenthood.
“It is too early to know exactly what this ruling will mean for us,” Dara DiGiorgio Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Pacific Southwest, said regarding the Arizona decision. She added, however, that staff are taking “necessary steps” to ensure they are prepared to support the potential influx.
What do the numbers say?
Planned Parenthood operates regional clinics in Imperial and Riverside counties, which border Arizona, along with neighboring San Diego County. About 10% of these patients hail from outside California.
Arizona residents seeking abortions were already traveling to California because of their state's previous abortion ban at 15 weeks, according to DiGiorgio Johnson. She said they were now in a “more dangerous situation.”
Miscarriage data can be difficult due to undercount due to concerns about patient privacy. However, the available data shows the current rise in California.
In May 2022, just before Roe was overthrown, the state reported 13,680 abortions that month, according to Planned Parenthood data.
Exactly one year later, numbers jumped nearly 14% to 15,550 in May 2023.
The numbers of miscarriages have ebbed and flowed since then, with March 2023 marking a peak of just over 16,000.
Planned Parenthood California affiliates reported that medical abortions at their clinics increased 18% statewide from 2022 to June 23.
The Guttmacher Institute is a nonprofit research organization that supports abortion access. It is estimated that more than 5,000 abortions will be provided within the state to visitors in 2023.
“Our job as health care providers is to be prepared for the worst-case scenarios,” said Sue Dunlap, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Los Angeles. “This is what will make sure that we in California are able to handle potential increases.”
To read more, please check the article here.
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First column
The First Column is the Times' home for narrative and long-form journalism. Here's a great piece from this week:
(Gennaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
We all know that our fortunes can change without warning, especially as we get older and the odds are stacked against us, increasing the risk of our bodies gradually failing and our minds fading. But in just two weeks, Robin Clough and Dr. Jean Doriot went from journeying through life to facing death. For your type of cancer, life expectancy is often measured in months rather than years. “It was very difficult to process, and I think my mind prevented me from processing it because it was so stressful,” Clough said.
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For your weekend
(Photo courtesy of Lindsay Made This/For the Times; Photo courtesy of Tia Mowry)
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Immerse yourself in tantalizing stories about dating, relationships and marriage.
(Jennifer Loxton/For The Times)
My husband, Brad, and I, both divorced and not in the market for anyone without quality, engaged in a keyboard flirtation. He was thirsty, while I was hesitant at best. I refused to meet him for months, as I had been single for six years and was not at all interested in sharing anything with anyone ever again. But he said he was willing to wait however long it took for me to work up the courage, and he would even be able to overlook the fact that my degree was from USC because (unfortunately) he was a loyal Bruin.
Have a great weekend, from the Essential California team
Andrew J. Campa, Reporter
Carlos Lozano, News Editor
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