Montana’s 2022 vital statistics report, which contains the state’s abortion data, was published by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services in May 2024. The report shows that Montana abortions decreased in 2022.
Statistics and Changes in Montana Abortions, 2021-2022
The report does not include information on Planned Parenthood’s Montana abortion market share.
Abortion Totals and Trends
In 2022, there were 1,702 abortions reported in Montana, a decrease of 5% from the previous year. Drug-induced abortions decreased by 1% from 2021 and constituted 76% of the 2022 Montana total (Fig. 1). The Charlotte Lozier Institute (CLI) estimates that Montana’s abortion rate was 8.1 abortions per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44, a decrease of 8% from 2021 (Fig. 2).1 As of July 2024, 37 states have released 2022 abortion statistics, and 15 states reported that abortions had decreased.
State Report Summary
Ninety percent of Montana abortions reported in 2022 were performed on state residents. Over half the abortions were obtained by women in their twenties, with 29% on women ages 20 to 24 and 26% on women ages 25 to 29. Twenty-nine percent of the abortions were performed on women ages 30 to 39. Four percent of Montana abortions were performed on women ages 40 and above, while 11% were on girls ages 19 and younger.
A majority of Montana abortions were obtained by white women (86%), while nearly 9% were obtained by American Indian/Alaska Native women and almost 6% on women of other races. Out of states that report this data point, Montana has one of the largest percentages of abortions on Native women.
Over half (52%) of the abortions reported in Montana were performed on women who hadn’t previously had a live birth, 23% on women who had one previous live birth, and 26% on women with two or more previous live births. Fifty-one percent of the abortions were performed on women with no prior abortions while 34% were on women with one prior abortion and 15% on women with more than one.
Just over three-quarters of Montana abortions were drug-induced (76%), and 24% were surgical. Seventy-nine percent of Montana abortions occurred at eight weeks of gestation or earlier. Fifteen percent were performed between nine and 13 weeks, and 3% were performed from 14 to 15 weeks. One percent were performed between 16 and 17 weeks of gestation, and 13 abortions (0.8%) occurred between 18 and 20 weeks. One abortion was performed after 21 weeks and 15 were performed at unknown gestational ages.
Legislative Changes
As previously summarized, in 2021 Governor Greg Gianforte signed a bill limiting abortion at 20 weeks of gestation. However, the law was blocked on September 30, 2021, two days before it was set to go into effect. That injunction was upheld in October 2021, in August 2022, and again in February 2024. Another pro-life law passed in 2021 that prohibited abortion drugs from being prescribed via the mail and required a 24-hour waiting period for drug-induced abortions. This law also had corresponding injunctions upheld.
State Ranking
In 2024, CLI reexamined abortion reporting in each state, and Montana’s reporting was tied for 27th best. Montana could improve its reporting by stating whether any babies survived abortion attempts, as CLI has previously recommended. Montana could also incorporate additional abortion statistics into its vital statistics reports, including information on the facilities where abortions occur and the level of education of women who obtain abortions in the state, data which it collects but does not include in its annual report. Lastly, Montana could report any complications that women experienced during and after abortions.
- National rates were calculated by Guttmacher Institute. Montana rates were calculated by CLI using the following formula: (total number of abortions performed in Montana ÷ 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 using 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.
