The rise of chemical abortion is reshaping the pro-life landscape in Texas, as fewer women travel out of state for procedures and more obtain abortion pills through mail or across the border. Jana Pinson, executive director of the Pregnancy Center of the Coastal Bend, said, “There’s just as much as there ever was, but it’s chemical. It’s dark. It’s alone.”
Marjorie Dannenfelser of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America called the FDA’s relaxed regulations “a disaster for women,” noting that 63 percent of U.S. abortions now come from medication. Dr. Ingrid Skop warned that women often take abortion pills without medical oversight, which can lead to serious complications. Pro-life centers like Pinson’s have pivoted, offering screenings and alternatives for women who arrive with pills already in hand.
Following the Texas Heartbeat Act and the Dobbs ruling, out-of-state travel initially surged, but recent data shows an 8 percent decline in such travel and a 5 percent drop in clinic abortions, according to the Guttmacher Institute.
