Tessa Cox
Senior Research AssociateTessa Cox is Senior Research Associate at Charlotte Lozier Institute, where her research focuses on abortion statistics at the state and national levels and the changing landscape of abortion policy, provision, and access in the United States.
Tessa has appeared on CBN News and EWTN News Nightly and has testified before Members of Congress on the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. Her work has been featured by National Review Online, Newsweek, The Gospel Coalition, Fox News, The Daily Signal, and many other national media outlets. She has contributed to peer-reviewed research on women’s experiences with chemical abortion and the impact of abortion on women enrolled in Medicaid.
Originally from Illinois, Tessa earned a BA in Communications from Thomas Edison State University. Prior to joining CLI, she got her start in pro-life research with the Family Research Council.
Research Authored
Abortion Reporting: Arizona (2020)
In 2020, there were 13,273 abortions reported in Arizona, an increase of one percent from 2019. Abortions performed on Arizona residents also increased by one percent, while chemical abortions on state residents jumped by 27 percent.
Abortion Reporting: Kentucky (2020)
There were 4,104 abortions reported in Kentucky in 2020, a 12 percent increase from the previous year and the first time since 2009 that over 4,000 abortions were reported in the state. Chemical abortions rose 13 percent, composing 51 percent of the total in 2020.
Abortion Reporting: Texas (2020)
In 2020, there were 56,358 Texas abortions reported, a drop of almost three percent from 2019. However, chemical abortions increased by 29 percent, making up over half of Texas abortions in 2020.
Abortion Reporting: Vermont (2019)
Vermont’s 2019 abortion statistics were published online as part of the state’s full vital statistics report in July 2021. The report is available on the website of the Vermont Department of Health.
Abortion Reporting: South Dakota (2020)
There were just 125 abortions reported in South Dakota in 2020, a drop of 70 percent from 2019 and a record low in the state. Chemical abortions fell by 65 percent, making up 39 percent of all abortions in the state.
Abortion Reporting: Indiana (2020)
In 2020, there were 7,756 abortions reported in Indiana, up not quite two percent from the previous year. Chemical abortions jumped by 27 percent, making up over half of all abortions occurring in Indiana in 2020.
Abortion Reporting: West Virginia (2020)
In 2020, there were 1,001 abortions reported in West Virginia, a drop of 15 percent from the previous year. This followed a drop of 22 percent between 2018 and 2019.
Abortion Reporting: Tennessee (2019)
Tennessee’s 2019 abortion statistics, published in June 2021 by the Tennessee Department of Health, indicate that Tennessee abortions declined from 2018.
Abortion Reporting: South Carolina (2020)
South Carolina’s 2020 abortion report was published in June 2021, and a corrected report with an updated abortion total was released in August 2021. The report reveals that abortions increased from 2019.
Abortion Reporting: Delaware (2019)
Delaware’s 2019 abortion report was published online in June 2021 by the Delaware Department of Health and Human Services. The report shows that abortions increased from 2018.