Though it has not added any additional protections, legal abortion in Virginia still remains and as a result, many have fled to Virginia to seek an abortion. It’s important to note that the definition of “legal abortion” ranges from state to state. Some states, like Virginia, rely on fetal viability, which is when the fetus has the ability to survive outside of the u terus . This is typically around 24 weeks. Other states rely on gestational limits of varying times, which is a calculated time from conception. Virginia’s gestational limit for abortion is 26 weeks and six days of pregnancy as of 2023. The Present According to the Society of Family Planning, 2400 abortions were performed in Virginia in June of 2022. In June 2023, this number had risen to 3120, a 30% rise for the state. Part of this rise is no doubt in part due to those seeking abortions from other states. It is estimated that 96% of abortions in the U.S were pro vided at clinics and just 4% were pro vided in doctors’ offices or hospitals i n 2020. Most clinic-based abortions were provided at clinics that specialize in abortion care, but many were provided at clinics that offer other sexual and reproductive health services such as contraception and 27 STI care.
Keeping this in mind with the recent influx of patients to Virginia clinics, it has forced them to delegate more attention to providing abortions and takes away attention from their other sexual and reproductive health services. Clinics are now often overflowing with patients, causing healthcare workers to overextend their resources and time. Such a clinic, World Woman's Health in Charlottesville, Virginia, is one of the many that have experienced these consequences as women arrived from Georgia, North Carolina, and West Virginia for abortion procedures. The doctors on staff at these locations worked past typical closing times to provide care for these women. Native Virginian women are also invariably experiencing longer wait times because of the increased number of patients. The notion of leaving your home to receive an abortion is not an easy one and often entails researching travel costs, childcare, and medical costs for the actual procedure. Due to time spent saving up for traveling costs or other obstacles, these women are forced to wait later into their pregnancies. The doctors on staff at these locations worked past typical closing times to provide care for these women. Native Virginian women are also invariably experiencing longer wait times because of the increased number of patients.
