In the two years following the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, clinics in Kansas have seen out-of-state abortion patients skyrocket.
It’s been two years since the U.S. The Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade and remade the national landscape of abortion law.
That ruling cleared the way for many states to ban abortion or enact restrictions on the procedure. Kansas voters, meantime, voted convincingly less than two months later to protect abortion rights, and the state soon became a regional destination for women barred from abortions in their home states.
Other court rulings brought things like in vitro fertilization and access to mifepristone, an abortion-inducing drug, into question. This month, the high court dismissed a case that would have limited access to mifepristone.
The Beacon compiled a list of what has and has not changed since the Supreme Court’s decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization in June 2022, which overturned Roe v. Wade.
Access to abortion
Before the Dobbs decision, Kansas law allowed abortions up until 22 weeks, and only cases of a medical emergency after that. State law also required a 24-hour waiting period, counseling and parental consent for minors.
In August 2022, voters chose to keep the right to an abortion in the Kansas Constitution. The law remains the same: abortion is generally prohibited after 22 weeks, a waiting period and counseling are required, and minors require approval from parents or a judge.
Out-of-state abortions after Roe v. Wade was overturned
Kansas was already a destination for Missourians seeking abortions before Dobbs.
In 2021 prior to Roe v. Wade being overturned, 7,849 abortions were reported in Kansas. About 3,900 of those were performed on Kansans, while roughly another 3,900 came from out-of-state.
The latest data show that from January to December 2023, 14,180 abortions, or 69% of Kansas abortions, were performed on out-of-state residents.
State funding of crisis pregnancy centers
In fiscal year 2022, Kansas allocated approximately $338,846 to its Pregnancy Maintenance Initiative, which was designed to present alternatives to abortion and provide services to low-income pregnant women in Kansas. Critics see that program as a way to pressure pregnant women away from getting abortions.
In fiscal year 2025, lawmakers allocated $2 million to the Kansas Pregnancy Compassion Awareness program, which is intended to promote childbirth instead of abortions. The funding was vetoed by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, but the veto was overridden by the legislature.
State funding for family planning services (including Planned Parenthood)
In fiscal year 2022, Kansas lawmakers allocated $2.1 million for family planning services in state funds.
In fiscal year 2025, Kansas lawmakers allocated $2 million for statewide family planning health care access.
OB/GYN residencies
From 2020 to 2021, the number of students applying to residency programs in Kansas grew 2.1%, the Association of American Medical Colleges found. Data was insufficient to determine how many of those students were applying to OB/GYN programs.
From 2023 to 2024, the group found a 18.1% drop in students applying to residency programs across all specialties.
Wait times for clinics after overturn of Roe v. Wade
Kansas has seen an uptick in demand for appointments, according to Planned Parenthood Great Plains. After increasingly restrictive abortion laws have been passed in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas after Roe v. Wade was overturned, wait times for abortions have gone up. The Planned Parenthood clinics also see heavy demand for appointments on Fridays or Saturdays due to out-of-state patients traveling.
Access to in vitro fertilization, or IVF
In Kansas, IVF is available. Democrats in the Kansas Senate attempted to pass legislation to protect the procedure during the 2024 legislative session, but it failed.
Access to emergency contraception and mifepristone
Emergency contraception remains legal in Kansas. Mifepristone, an abortion-inducing drug, is also available.
Access to birth control
Birth control is legal in Kansas.
Our sources for this story:
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
Kansas Department of Health and Environment
Planned Parenthood Great Plains
Missouri Family Health Council
Association of American Medical Colleges
This article was republished here with the permission of: The Beacon