Written by Tony J. Spain, Palmetto Examiner
July 3, 2025
COLUMBIA, SC—(PE) The pro-life movement is stacking wins in the
abortion fight in South Carolina as new data released Tuesday from the South Carolina
Department of Health shows the number of South Carolinians getting abortions in
the Palmetto State is in major decline since 2023, and the U.S. Supreme court
ruled 6-3 in favor of South Carolina to defund Planned Parenthood last Thursday.
The data compiled by SCDHEC from August 2023 through all of 2024 shows the
South Carolina Supreme Court’s ruling to uphold the Fetal Heartbeat Act,
banning abortions after the sixth week of pregnancy, has led to the number of
women getting abortions in the Palmetto State to drop by more than 40 percent.
Overall, there were 8,187 abortions in 2023 vs 3,025 in 2024 for a difference
of more than 5,000 fewer abortions.
Of the total abortions carried out in South Carolina in 2024, 84% of them were
medication induced (AKA Abortion Pill). Additionally, 27% of abortions were
carried out for women between the ages of 20-24 in 2024.
South Carolina allowed abortions up to 20 weeks after pregnancy before the six
week ban making it one of the least restrictive states and an abortion destination
in the Southeast. After the ruling that was no longer the case.
Data released Tuesday from the Department of Public Health shows a 92% drop in
out-of-state residents getting abortions in South Carolina from 2023-2024.
The conservative Christian family advocacy group Palmetto Family Council
praised the numbers saying it showed the great effectiveness of the state’s
Fetal Heartbeat Law”
“There’s no point in traveling to South Carolina [for an abortion] now and that’s a positive,” Justin Hall, Palmetto
Family Council Communications Director said. “We don’t want to be viewed as a
state where I can go and end life of another human legally. We wanted to stop
that. We would like to see other states follow that mode, but certainly we’ve cut
down on that destination vacation spot.”
Planned Parenthood—among the groups that criticized the ban as prohibiting abortions
before the time many women know they are pregnant—said they have had to turn people
away and those people are going to North Carolina…
“75% of the people who come to see us have had to be turned away. They want an
abortion, they’ve already decided they want an abortion, but we are not able to
help them provide the care that we are able to provide because they are too far
along,” Vicki Ringer with Planned Parenthood South Atlantic said.
The organization said these restrictions have not ended abortions, just moved
them to other states.
“Half of all out-of-state abortions in North Carolina are from South Carolina.
So while the abortion ban in South Carolina has been very effective at shutting
down care for people here, as we have always said, people will find a way,”
Ringer said.
Data from the new DPH report runs through December 2024, with figures from 2025
to be released next summer.
You
can view the full 2024 report here.
In another big win for the pro-life movement, last Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled
in favor of South Carolina’s decision to defund Planned Parenthood from
receiving Medicaid funding.
The ruling supports the state’s move to prevent taxpayer dollars from being
allocated to the organization.
You
can read the ruling here.
“Seven years ago, we took a stand to protect the sanctity of life and defend
South Carolina’s authority and values—and today, we are finally victorious,”
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster wrote on social media. “The legality of
my executive order prohibiting taxpayer dollars from being used to fund abortion
providers like Planned Parenthood has been affirmed by the highest court in the
land.”
.JPG)
He lives in Columbia, S.C.
What Say You? Got something you'd like to say? Letter to the
Editor (Guest Column), praises, criticism, hate mail, news story tip or just
want to say, howdy. Send them to Tony@palmettoexaminer.com
