Abortions dropped by 63% in South Carolina due to the Heartbeat Law

The Department of Public Health of South Carolina, in United States, released its annual report on abortions performed in the state, showing a historic 63% decrease in the number of abortions between 2023 and 2024.

This is the most significant drop since the legalization of abortion at the national level following the Roe vs. Wade ruling, which was overturned in 2022 by the Dobbs decision, returning to the states the authority to legislate on the issue.

During the first full year of implementation of the Heartbeat Law, which requires doctors to show mothers their children's heartbeat and give them 24 hours to think before performing an abortion, 5,162 fewer procedures were recorded than the previous year.

This legislation was signed in 2023 by Republican governor Henry McMaster, who described the results as "clear evidence" that the law is achieving its goal. "They reflect the principles of our society and our commitment to the most vulnerable," he stated.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court of the United States recently upheld Governor McMaster's decision to withdraw public funds from Planned Parenthood as an approved Medicaid provider, due to its direct involvement in the practice of abortions. In 2024, the two centers that the organization keeps in Columbia and Charleston reported a total of 1,394 abortions, which represents almost half of the total recorded in the entire state.

Pro-life groups have received the new report with satisfaction. Lisa Van Riper, president of South Carolina Citizens for Life, celebrated the data as a sign that "the law is protecting lives."

"These numbers represent more than 5,100 babies who have been able to be born, as well as mothers who have avoided possible physical and emotional trauma associated with abortion," she said, in addition to thanking the legislators who promoted the measure.

In the same vein, Linda Plummer, executive director of the South Carolina Association of Pregnancy Care Centers (SCAPCC), emphasized the importance of the General Assembly, which since 2022 has allocated public funds to support medical clinics and centers that assist pregnant women in vulnerable situations.

"Thanks to political support and community commitment, more and more women have free access to essential care and guidance in difficult times," she stated.