Get the Facts
The right to abortion is currently protected in Vermont by Act H.57, an amendment passed in 2019. Vermont does not have restrictions such as waiting periods or mandated parental involvement, and Medicaid does cover the cost of abortion.
Even with these legislative protections, Vermonters continue to face practical barriers to accessing abortion.
Unintended pregnancy is linked to many risk factors faced by Vermonters including poverty, substance abuse, intimate partner violence, job and housing instability. Someone with an unintended pregnancy is likely to face multiple socioeconomic barriers to care.
Since abortion services are time-constrained, Vermonters are unable to save up for the cost in advance.
Lack of insurance coverage or high deductibles are frequently barriers to care.
Privacy and safety concerns can limit physical and financial access to care. Patients may be worried about using insurance or family funds to due concerns for their health and safety at home.
The rurality of Vermont means that patients often must travel long distance to providers, increasing cost and barriers (e.g., arranging for childcare, lost wages, paying for gas).
By the Numbers:
On average, a first trimester abortion with local anesthesia or medication abortion in a non-hospital setting in Vermont costs $555.
Nationally, 53% of abortion patients paid out of pocket in 2014
In 2017, 64% of Vermont counties had no clinics that provided abortion, and 38% of Vermonters lived in those counties
In 2017, 1,300 abortions were provided in Vermont, with a 5% decline in abortion rate in Vermont between 2014-2017.
Who has Abortions?
The most recent Guttmacher Institute report from 2014 compiles demographics of folx seeking abortions nationally.
59% of abortions were obtained by patients who had at least one birth.
75% of abortion patients were poor or low-income (living below federal poverty level)
51% of abortion patients were using a contraceptive method in the month they became pregnant
References
https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/state-facts-about-abortion-vermont
https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/induced-abortion-united-states
https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/planned-parenthood-vermont-action-fund/h57-fact-sheet
