Nevada’s 2022 abortion statistics were provided to the Charlotte Lozier Institute (CLI) by the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services upon request. The report shows that total abortions as well as drug-induced abortions skyrocketed from 2021.
Statistics and Changes in Nevada Abortions, 2021-2022
Abortion Totals and Trends
In 2022, there were 11,957 abortions reported in Nevada, an increase of 37% from the previous year (Fig. 1). There were 10,247 abortions performed in Nevada on state residents, 25% more than the total that were performed on state residents in 2021. Half (50%) of the abortions performed in Nevada (5,974 abortions) were drug-induced abortions, with the total number of those occurring in the state increasing by 35% from the previous year (Fig. 2). CLI estimates that Nevada’s 2022 abortion rate was 19.2 abortions per 1,000 women of childbearing age (Fig. 2).1 As of February 2024, 34 states have released 2024 abortion statistics, with 21 states reporting that abortions have increased.
State Report Summary
Eighty-six percent of the abortions reported in Nevada in 2022 were performed on state residents. Thirteen percent, or 1,547, of the abortions reported in Nevada were performed on nonresidents, an increase of 183% from 2021. One possible explanation for this surge is that on June 24, 2022, Roe v. Wade was reversed and some of the states that border Nevada had different gestational laws that went into effect, such as Idaho’s life at conception law, Utah’s 18-week limit, and Arizona’s 15-week limit. However, in Nevada, abortion remains largely unrestricted because of broad exceptions to the state’s 24-week limit, making the state a hub for interstate abortion commerce and late-term abortion. One percent of abortions occurred on women of unknown residence status.
A majority of the abortions (52%) were obtained by women in their twenties, with just under 26% on women ages 20 to 24 and almost 27% on women ages 25 to 29. Thirty-one percent were on women in their thirties, and 4% were on women in their forties or older. Eight percent of the abortions were performed on girls ages 19 and younger, including 2% on girls under the age of 18. The youngest girl to get an abortion was 13, and the oldest woman was 51. Age was not reported for 4% of Nevada abortions.
Five percent of Nevada abortions were on women with less than a high school education, and 42% were on women with a high school diploma or GED. Fifteen percent were performed on women who had attended some college but did not obtain a degree. Thirteen percent of Nevada abortions were on women with a college degree, and 25% on women whose level of education was not reported.
Thirteen percent of the abortions were reported to have been performed on married women, and 76% were performed on unmarried women. Eleven percent of the abortions that occurred in Nevada were performed on women whose marital status was not reported. Forty-three percent of the abortions were performed on women with no living children, while 21% were on women with one child and 33% on women with two or more children. The number of living children was not reported for 3% of the abortions that occurred in Nevada.
In 2022, 28% of the abortions performed in Nevada were suction curettage procedures, a large decrease from 2021 when the procedure comprised 45% of the state’s total abortions. Half (50%) were drug-induced abortions, and 6% were conducted via dilation and evacuation. Unlike in previous years, sharp curettage abortions made up 15% of the total abortions, while in 2021 only four sharp curettage abortions occurred. Two percent of the abortions were performed using an unknown method.
One percent of abortions were reported between one and four weeks of gestation. Thirty-four percent occurred between five and six weeks of gestation, and 30% were performed between seven and eight weeks. Fifteen percent were performed between nine and 10 weeks of gestation, while 6% occurred between 11 and 12 weeks and 5% between 13 and 15 weeks of gestation. Three percent of the abortions were performed between 16 and 19 weeks, and 2% at 20 weeks of gestation or later. The latest reported abortion was performed at 24 weeks of gestation. The gestational age was not reported for 4% of the abortions performed in the state.
Abortion Centers in Nevada
Seventeen percent of Nevada abortions were performed by Planned Parenthood (a decrease from 21% in 2021): 12% by Planned Parenthood’s West Charleston center and 5% by the East Flamingo location. Eighty-three percent of the abortions were performed by independent abortion centers. Twenty-four percent of the abortions were performed by Birth Control Care Center, and 21% by A-Z Women’s Center, which has been renamed Lilith Clinic. West End Women’s Medical Group performed 7%, and 10% occurred at Women to Women Gynecology. Twelve percent of abortions occurred at Safe and Sound for Women. Desert Inn Medical Center reported 2% of the abortions. Planned Parenthood’s Nevada abortion centers perform only drug-induced abortions, so it is likely that all the surgical abortions occurred at independent abortion centers, three of which perform painful late-term abortions up to 24 weeks of gestation (West End Women’s Medical Group, Birth Control Care Center, and Safe and Sound for Women). Lilith Clinic does abortions through 22 weeks of gestation.
Two telemedicine abortion companies performed 885 drug-induced abortions (8%) in the state in 2022: 180 abortions by IGH PLLC, which does business under the name Abortion on Demand, and 705 abortions by Carafem Telehealth. This was the state’s second annual report to include data about telemedicine abortion centers.
State Ranking
In 2016, CLI evaluated abortion reporting across the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and New York City, and ranked Nevada’s reporting at 38th best. Since then, Nevada has improved its reporting by making reports available upon request on a regular schedule, reporting additional data, and even reporting the number of telemedicine abortions that occur in the state, making it the first state to do so for 2022. Nevada could further improve its reporting and increase transparency by publishing its reports online. Nevada could also collect and report data on complications caused by abortion.
- National rates were calculated by the Guttmacher Institute. Nevada rates were calculated by CLI using the following formula: (total number of abortions performed in Nevada ÷ 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.
- Abortion occurrence totals were obtained from the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services upon request. Drug-induced abortion totals were obtained from the CDC. 2010 was the first year of drug-induced abortion data that Nevada reported to the CDC. Nevada later revised its 2016 abortion total after data was submitted to the CDC. Consequently, the 2016 abortion total Nevada shared with CLI (8,069 abortions) was far higher than that reported to the CDC (7,284), so CDC’s 2016 Nevada drug-induced abortion total is not included in this graph.
