In-Person Abortion Care Is Still the Backbone of Access — And It’s Under Threat
Since the fall of Roe v. Wade, the conversation around access to abortion care has been dominated by telehealth and medication abortion. Here’s the reality: most abortions in the U.S. still happen in person. Brick and mortar clinics are the foundation of care.
Despite abortion bans, logistical roadblocks, and relentless political attacks, people are still finding ways to get the care they need. The numbers prove it: the monthly average has jumped from 79,600 abortions in 2022 to 95,200 in 2024. That’s happening because patients are determined — and because clinics like Northland Family Planning refuse to shut our doors.
The abortion pill is a safe, effective way to end a pregnancy. Telehealth abortion care is saving lives. But neither can replace in-person care. Not for someone later in pregnancy. Not for someone with medical complexities. Not for someone who simply wants a provider right there, in the room, guiding them through every step.
And here’s the part anti-abortion lawmakers don’t want to talk about: irregular cycles, missed symptoms, or an unexpected ultrasound can mean a pregnancy is further along than someone realized. That can take the abortion pill off the table — leaving a clinic visit as the only safe option.
We see it every week at our abortion clinics in Sterling Heights, Southfield, and Westland, Michigan.
We see patients who’ve been forced to travel hundreds of miles from states with bans, burning through their savings, taking unpaid leave, scrambling for childcare, and sleeping in their cars because they can’t afford a hotel. Delays aren’t a choice — they’re baked into the system of barriers. By the time some patients finally get here, in-person care is the only option left.
This is why we fight to keep the lights on.
Northland Family Planning’s doors will always be open for people who’ve already been through hell just to reach us. Because abortion bans were designed to isolate people and break them down — we promise to meet each and every person seeking care with dignity, expertise, and compassion, instead.
Telehealth abortion pill services are only one part of reproductive healthcare, and true reproductive freedom means patients can choose exactly how they end their pregnancy. In-person care is essential for true reproductive freedom. It’s urgent. And in a post-Dobbs America, it’s often the last line between a patient and a forced pregnancy.