Mail-Order Abortion Pills Drive Post-Dobbs Surge, Pro-Life Leaders Warn

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

(Worthy News) – The number of abortions in the United States continues to rise despite stronger state protections for unborn life following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, with pro-life advocates pointing to mail-order abortion pills as the primary driver. Pro-choice researchers estimate the nation averaged nearly 99,000 abortions per month in early 2025, a trend conservatives say reflects regulatory loopholes rather than public rejection of pro-life laws.

According to the Society of Family Planning, more than one in four abortions now occur through telehealth prescriptions, a sharp increase since 2023. Nearly half of those prescriptions originated in states with so-called “shield laws,” allowing doctors to mail abortion drugs into states that restrict the procedure. Pro-life scholars argue this undermines the intent of state voters and lawmakers seeking to protect unborn children.

Michael New of the Catholic University of America noted that while mail-order pills have offset declines in abortion-heavy states, strong pro-life laws are producing measurable results. Studies of Texas data show roughly 1,000 additional babies born each month since the state enacted protections in 2021, reinforcing research that birth rates are rising faster in states with firm pro-life policies.

As the nation approaches the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, thousands of demonstrators are expected at the annual March for Life in Washington. Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey warned that chemical abortion drugs such as mifepristone—used in the majority of abortions—pose serious risks to women and children and called on federal regulators to reinstate in-person dispensing requirements.

With the Trump administration signaling caution ahead of the midterm elections, pro-life leaders increasingly see federal courts as the next battleground. Attorneys general in several states are already challenging interstate pill distribution, while activists say the long-term goal remains clear: closing regulatory gaps, defending state authority, and restoring a culture that values every human life.

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