Abortion Reporting: Georgia (2023)

Georgia released its 2023 abortion statistics through its online vital statistics database in October 2024. The data showed that resident abortions and abortions performed in Georgia decreased from the previous year. Charlotte Lozier Institute (CLI) is summarizing the information in the abortion report published by the state. This data does not include the total number of abortions obtained by Georgia residents out of state, the number of abortion drugs obtained or taken by Georgia residents prescribed by licensed abortion provides in other states under their shield laws, or the number of self-managed abortions performed by women outside of the healthcare system. In a separate section, CLI will describe data provided by the Guttmacher Institute’s Monthly Abortion Provision Study that details the number of women who traveled to Georgia to obtain abortions and their states of residence as well as the number of abortions obtained by Georgia women in other states.

Statistics and Changes in Georgia Abortions, 2022-2023

The change in total abortions reflects the change in abortions performed on Georgia residents in and outside of Georgia as reported by the state. The change in drug-induced abortions reflects the change in drug-induced abortions obtained in the state by women regardless of their state of residence. The report does not include information on Planned Parenthood’s Georgia abortion market share.

Abortion Totals and Trends

Georgia’s abortion data available in OASIS includes abortions performed on Georgia residents in Georgia and other states but does not include abortions performed in Georgia on nonresident women. In 2023, OASIS reported that there were 30,856 abortions reported to have been performed on Georgia residents, both inside and outside of Georgia. This was a 13% decrease from 2022 when 35,401 resident abortions were reported (Fig. 1). Georgia did not report the number of drug-induced abortions performed on residents. CLI estimates that Georgia’s 2023 abortion rate was 13.7 abortions per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44, a decrease of 13% from the previous year (Fig. 2).¹ As of November 2024, 21 states have released 2023 abortion statistics, of which 12 (including Georgia) reported that abortions decreased.

State Report Summary

Seven percent of Georgia resident abortions were performed on girls in their teens or younger, with 2% performed on girls between the ages of 10 and 17 and 5% on girls between the ages of 18 and 19. Twenty-seven percent were on women in their early twenties, and 29% were on women in their later twenties. Thirty-four percent were obtained by women in their thirties, and 4% by women ages 40 to 55.

In 2023, 66% of Georgia resident abortions were performed on black women. Just under a fifth (19%) of the abortions were performed on white women and 3% on Asian women. There were 106 abortions (0.3%) performed on American Indian or Alaska Native women and 52 abortions (0.2%) on Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander women. Two percent of the abortions were obtained by multiracial women. Race was not reported for 10% of abortions. The black resident abortion rate (24.3 abortions per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44) was over five times the white abortion rate (4.8) in 2023.

In 2023, 84% of Georgia resident abortions were performed on non-Hispanic women, 12% on Hispanic women, and 4% on women of unknown ethnicity.

Occurrence Data

Separate from the state’s abortion data in OASIS, CLI requested data on all abortions occurring in Georgia from the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH). In 2023, according to the data given to CLI by the Department, there were 28,649 abortions reported in Georgia, of which 83% were drug-induced. The number of abortions occurring in Georgia decreased by 27% from 2022 to 2023 and the number of drug-induced abortions decreased by 13%. Many of the demographic trends associated with the occurrence data mirrored those associated with residence data. For example, 66% of all abortions occurring in the state were performed on black women, and 56% were obtained by women in their twenties.

Unlike the residence data, the occurrence statistics sent by DPH did provide data on the educational level and marital status of women who had abortions in Georgia. However, the marital status data provided by the DPH was not accurate and added up to a total greater than the number of abortions that occurred in the state in 2023. The majority of abortions (51%) that occurred in Georgia were performed on women with some college or a completed degree of some kind. Forty-one percent of women had a high school diploma or GED, while 7% had not completed high school. One percent of Georgia abortions were performed on women whose educational level was not reported.

The occurrence data provided by the Georgia DPH also included information on abortions by gestational age. In 2023, 99% of Georgia abortions occurred at six weeks of gestation or earlier. The latest gestational age that an abortion was performed in the state was at 22 weeks of gestation. The gestational age was not known for 0.3% of abortions. Georgia’s heartbeat law was in effect for the entirety of 2023, so any abortions legally performed after a baby’s heartbeat was detected (typically around six weeks of gestation) had to be because of a medical emergency that threatened a woman’s life or physical health or in cases of rape, incest, or the presence of a fetal anomaly. Two hundred and forty-nine abortions (0.87%) were performed after six weeks of gestation, but the data provided to CLI did not provide the reasons why those abortions were performed.

Also, unlike the resident data made available by the state’s OASIS’ dashboard, the occurrence data provided by the state to CLI detailed the number of abortions by procedure type. In 2023, 83% of Georgia abortions were performed using abortion drugs while 16% were surgical, as opposed to 2022 when surgical abortions composed 29% of the abortions performed in the state. The type of abortion procedure used in 19 abortions was unknown.

Lastly, Georgia’s 2023 occurrence data provided information on abortions by state of residence. Georgia women obtained 76% of the abortions that occurred in the state and Alabama women obtained 11%. South Carolina, Tennessee, and Mississippi women each obtained 3% of the abortions. The remaining abortions were obtained by women from a variety of different states.

Informed Consent

Every year, as a requirement of Georgia’s Woman’s Right to Know Act, the state’s Department of Health releases an annual summary report of parental consent and informed consent data for abortions that occur in the state. Georgia’s 2023 annual report was published in May 2024 and summarized aggregate data regarding parental consent and informed consent. In 2023, 117 parents or guardians were notified regarding their minor daughter seeking an abortion. Of the 117 parents notified, 102 had minors who went on to obtain an abortion, while two minors obtained an abortion via a judicial waiver, not parental consent. The number of women (of all ages) who were provided information regarding the risks of abortion, the gestational age of the unborn child, and other medical information as well as the assistance available to pregnant women (12,660 women) was far lower than the number of resident women who obtained abortions in Georgia (21,862 abortions) and the number of abortions that occurred in Georgia in 2023 (28,649 abortions). Of the women who received medical information and information on the assistance available to pregnant women, 9,082 chose to get an abortion. Many women (17,448) were offered to view their fetal ultrasound and/or hear the baby’s heartbeat and 9,955 chose to do so.

Legislative Changes

As previously noted, the state’s 2019 heartbeat law was in effect for the entirety of 2023. It was temporarily blocked on September 30, 2024, but went back into effect on October 7, 2024 and remains in effect.

Breakdown of Abortion Providers in Georgia²

Guttmacher Data³

In 2023, Guttmacher estimated that 31,520 abortions occurred in Georgia while the state reported 28,649 occurred in the state. In 2023, an estimated 7,300 abortions were obtained by women who traveled to Georgia to get an abortion. The 7,300 abortions are included within Guttmacher’s total estimate of 31,520 abortions occurring in the state. To see the number of abortions obtained in Georgia by women from various states, see below:

Lastly, Guttmacher estimated that 13,650 abortions were obtained by Georgia residents who traveled to other states to obtain an abortion. To see the number of abortions obtained by Georgia women in various states, see below:

State Ranking

In 2024, CLI published a paper reevaluating abortion reporting across the country, with Georgia ranking as tied for 20^th place. As CLI has previously recommended, Georgia could include in its state report all the information it provides to the CDC including the pregnancy history. Georgia could also include data for all abortions performed in the state and identify the states that share abortion data with Georgia. Lastly, Georgia should include information on complications that arise from abortion procedures performed in the state and any complications data for Georgia resident women shared with Georgia by other states.

1. National rates were calculated by the Guttmacher Institute. Georgia rates were calculated by CLI using the following formula: (total number of abortions performed in Georgia ÷ number of resident women ages 15-44 [based on most recent population estimates]) x 1,000. Rates may differ slightly from previous CLI articles due to revised population estimates. Population estimates were obtained from the CDC WONDER database. Estimates for 2005-2009 are intercensal estimates of the July 1 resident population. Estimates for 2010-2019 are Vintage 2020 postcensal estimates of the July 1 resident population. Estimates for 2020-2022 are Vintage 2022 postcensal estimates of the July 1 resident population. Estimates were produced by the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Health Statistics. Rates for 2023 were calculated using the Vintage 2022 postcensal estimates because 2023 population estimates have not yet been released by the CDC.
2. Provider totals do not include hospitals or physician offices not listed in databases that compile abortion provider locations in different states but do include Planned Parenthood locations, independent abortion centers, and hospitals/doctor’s offices included in databases like Abortion Finder and Ineedana. This total is up to date as of November 27, 2024.
3. The Guttmacher Institute notes that their monthly abortion totals by states are estimates and that each state’s estimate is within a range of uncertainty. Guttmacher also notes that their estimates do not reflect self-managed abortions or those obtained by women in pro-life states under shield laws.

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