“What we’re doing right now is, we’re essentially reversing the hands of time. And not at the benefit of women, not at saving more lives,” said Dr. Glenmarie Matthews. She heads family planning at RWJBarnabas in New Brunswick and still struggles with the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision last June to overturn abortion rights.
About 14 states banned or severely restricted procedures to terminate pregnancies over the past year, reducing abortions by almost 5,400 per month on average, one study showed. “We’re seeing lots of states that are putting in bans constantly — left, right and center. Gestational ages that make no sense, like, at six weeks. Do you know you’ve missed your period at six weeks?” Matthews said.
Jackie Cornell of Planned Parenthood said New Jersey is among the states that rushed to enact stronger abortion protections after the court overturned Roe. But New Jersey is also a sanctuary state that offers legal shields against prosecution for abortions.
Rosalyn Rogers Collins said her Planned Parenthood clinics have expanded hours and hired staff to cope with a rising number of patients — from 19,000 last year to an expected 23,000 this year. They come from at least ten states — and NYC. “They’re taking the bridges and the tunnels — leaving their homes — because there’s such an influx of patients coming in from other states.”
