By Tessa Redmond
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (KT) – In February 2022, 384 lives were lost to abortion in Kentucky.
EMW Women’s Surgical Center, the primary provider of abortions in the state, terminated 327 pregnancies. The clinic, which is open Monday to Saturday, aborted an average of 13 babies each business day.
More than 85% of abortions were performed in the first trimester of pregnancy, between four- and 12-weeks gestation. Out of 57 second trimester abortions, 41 — just over 10% of the monthly total — were performed at or after 15 weeks gestation. Abortions after this point in pregnancy may soon be banned under Kentucky law. House Bill 3, a pro-life measure that would limit abortions, is awaiting action by Governor Andy Beshear.
Surgical abortions were the most common procedure in February, a departure from the dominance of medical abortions in January. Only 45% of abortions were obtained using medication in February.
A majority of women had their first abortion in February, but 184 had at least one prior abortion. One woman had terminated 8 pregnancies prior to February; another had aborted 7. Over 64% were already mothers, having given birth to at least one child.
White women accounted for nearly 200 abortions; Black women obtained 142; two American Indian women terminated their pregnancies. Women who had the remaining 11% of abortions listed their race as “other” or “unknown.”
All data related to abortions provided in Kentucky are made available to the public through the Open Records Act.
Friends of Life KY 