Arkansas, South Dakota Report Zero Abortions Amid Controversy

In 2023, several states with strict abortion bans, including Arkansas and South Dakota, reported zero abortions, a statistic celebrated by anti-abortion activists. However, medical professionals and data scientists challenge these claims, arguing they are misleading and do not reflect reality. Amy Kelley, an OB-GYN in South Dakota, noted the absurdity of such claims, citing multiple patients who required abortion care. Ushma Upadhyay, a public health scientist, emphasized that the absence of recorded abortions is statistically improbable and raises concerns about the politicization of vital statistics. She highlighted the need for emergency abortion care in many pregnancies, which contradicts the reported data. The discrepancies suggest a troubling trend regarding the accuracy and integrity of abortion statistics in states with restrictive laws.