Abortion by the numbers in North Dakota and Minnesota

FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) - Abortion is still legal in all 50 states, but after the leaked supreme court draft opinion, many are wondering if Roe vs. Wade’s days are numbered.

North Dakota is one of 13 trigger states, meaning if Roe vs. Wade is overturned, a 2007 law would make performing an abortion a felony in North Dakota, unless the termination is necessary for a woman’s health or in cases of rape or incest.

In 2019, the North Dakota Department of Health reported 1,121 abortions, more than half of them were women in their 20′s. The next year – 2020, the state reported 1,171 with the majority being in women in their 20′s.

Provisional data shows 841 abortions were performed in 2021, and during the first three months of 2022 state data shows 178 abortions were performed.

While Minnesota is not a trigger state, there are significant abortion restrictions in place.

Data from the Minnesota Department of Health shows 9,945 abortions were reported in 2019. The most recent data available publicly shows the number of abortions dropping to 9,108 in 2020.

North Dakota is one of five states that has only one operating abortion clinic, the Red River Women’s Clinic in downtown Fargo.

If the supreme court decides to overturn roe v. Wade, leaving states to decide the fate of abortion rights, the director and owner of the clinic said she has plans to open a clinic in Moorhead.

The final ruling on Roe Vs. Wade’s fate is expected to be issued well before the end of the court’s term in late June or early July 2022.

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