The Guttmacher Institute’s newly released data for 2024 paints a sobering picture for pro-life advocates. Despite pro-life legislation gaining ground in multiple states following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, abortions in the United States actually increased by 1% to an estimated 1,037,000 last year.
Even more concerning, this surge occurred even as interstate abortion travel decreased by 9%, indicating that abortions are becoming more localized despite some states tightening abortion restrictions.
“In 2024, approximately 155,000 people crossed state lines for an abortion, representing 15% of all abortions provided in states without total bans,” the report explains. The number is an approximate 9% drop from more than 169,000 in 2023, with Illinois, North Carolina, Kansas, and New Mexico now ranking as the top destinations for abortion travel.
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As Christians who believe that every life is sacred and created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), these numbers should alarm us. Not only do they reflect a growing moral and spiritual crisis in our nation, but they also expose the relentless efforts of the abortion industry to bypass life-protecting laws and reach women through new channels, primarily through telehealth and abortion pills by mail.
One of the most telling revelations in the Guttmacher report is the growth of abortions via telehealth. “The share of abortions in states without total bans that were provided via online-only clinics rose to 14% in 2024 from 10% in 2023 (an increase of around 40,000 abortions),” the report stated. Further, the numbers do not include telehealth abortions in states with abortion bans, with a #WeCount study estimating that one in five abortions performed in the second quarter of 2024 were via telehealth.
These procedures involve remote consultations and abortion pills sent through the mail, often without any in-person medical oversight. What was once a weighty decision surrounded by counseling and medical support can now be carried out with a few taps on a smartphone.
This isn’t progress — it’s a tragedy. While pro-life states have passed laws to protect the unborn, the abortion industry has countered with a shadow system of mobile clinics and virtual services that often sidestep state authority entirely. This digital infrastructure of death preys on isolation, fear, and convenience. It allows Planned Parenthood and its allies to reach women in crisis despite the dedicated efforts of pro-life advocates and organizations.
Contrary to the narrative pushed by abortion activists, medication abortions are not without risk. They can result in serious complications, including hemorrhaging, incomplete abortions, and long-term emotional trauma. Many women face these outcomes alone without a physical exam or follow-up care. For women in abusive relationships, abortion pills can also serve as a hidden tool of control and coercion.
This should deeply concern anyone who values preborn children and women’s health. Individual believers and local churches must rise to meet the challenge in this cultural backslide. The pro-life movement cannot rely on legislation alone. God’s people must act by loudly and lovingly proclaiming the truth that all life is sacred and deserving of protection — from conception to natural death.
Are we offering real help to women in crisis? Are our churches partnering with pregnancy resource centers, supporting single moms, providing mentorship and housing, or creating adoption networks? There’s more to being pro-life than opposing abortion. Many additional opportunities exist to serve those facing difficult pregnancies or help children without parents through adoption and foster care efforts.
In Matthew 25, Jesus reminds us that when we serve the least among us, we serve Him. The preborn child is the most voiceless, most vulnerable member of our society. What we do for these children reveals how strongly we believe in the sanctity of life.
Winning politically is not enough if we lose the moral and spiritual war for our nation’s soul. This moment demands a revival of conscience, of family, and of faith.
The overall abortion statistics in the U.S. paint a sobering picture of the impact of the horrific practice on America.
“Planned Parenthood’s business is abortion, abortion, and more abortion. Their annual report shocks the conscience, showing that they ended nearly 393,000 American lives in a single year. This puts abortions performed by Planned Parenthood in the top four leading causes of death in the United States, after heart disease, cancer, and COVID-19,” said SBA Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser following the release of Planned Parenthood’s 2022-2023 report.
The latest abortion statistics in the U.S. also do not include the abortion battle worldwide. In 2024, abortion remained the top cause of death globally, surpassing the combined totals of fatalities from cancer, HIV/AIDS, traffic accidents, and suicide. An estimated 45.1 million unborn children lost their lives to abortion that year.
This figure represents over 42% of all human deaths worldwide in 2024. To put that number into perspective, it exceeds the total number of military and civilian deaths recorded during World War I from 1914 to 1918, according to the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children.
Despite the discouraging trends, there are reasons for hope. Florida, for example, saw the most significant drop in abortions of any state in 2024, following the enactment of tighter gestational limits on abortions. The 13 states with bans on nearly all abortions have saved tens of thousands of young lives.
Among younger generations, many activists and influencers boldly stand for life. Technology, the same tool used to promote abortion, can also be used to defend life. Social media, ultrasound imaging, crisis pregnancy apps, and mobile resources are emerging to help women choose life and connect with the help they need.
Galatians 6:9 exhorts us, “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
This is a clarion call to the pro-life community. We must not retreat. We must not become discouraged. Instead, let’s refocus on our mission to be a voice for the voiceless and extend a hand of hope to every woman considering abortion.
The data from Guttmacher may show more abortions in 2024, but data cannot measure the power of God working through His people. Let us be the pro-life generation, leading change through policy and Christ-centered action.
Originally published at the Standing for Freedom Center.
Dillon Burroughs, Ph.D., writes for the Standing for Freedom Center and serves as an adjunct instructor at Liberty University’s John W. Rawlings School of Divinity. He lives with his wife and children in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
