The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has postponed its annual abortion surveillance report until spring 2024, marking a significant delay that coincides with internal upheaval at the agency. This report is expected to provide critical insights into abortion trends, including the effects of recent changes to abortion access across the country, particularly following the US Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, which revoked the federal right to abortion.
Historically, the CDC compiles data from states and jurisdictions that voluntarily report their findings, a process that has been in place since 1969. The agency typically releases this report in late November. However, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has attributed the delay to actions taken by former CDC Chief Medical Officer Dr. Debra Houry, claiming she instructed staff to return state-submitted abortion data instead of analyzing it.
Dr. Houry refutes this assertion, stating that substantial layoffs at HHS in April 2023 significantly hindered the CDC’s capacity to produce the report. Following the layoffs, she led a transition management team aimed at addressing the agency’s operational challenges. Dr. Houry highlighted that a newly implemented policy required all external communications, including those to state and local health departments, to receive approval from politically appointed staff. She noted, “The program can’t do the work… without funding or staff.”
An HHS official contended that Dr. Houry did not adhere to the necessary protocols before halting the abortion surveillance project. However, the department has not clarified how or when it became aware of these actions. The tension within the agency escalated when Dr. Susan Monarez was dismissed shortly after taking over as CDC Director in August 2023. Several senior officials, including Dr. Houry, resigned in protest, citing concerns over censorship and communication failures.
The delayed report is anticipated to include data from throughout 2023, providing a comprehensive view following the Dobbs decision. Meanwhile, external research efforts have gained momentum, with the #WeCount initiative, backed by the Society for Family Planning, revealing that the number of abortions in the US has risen since the ruling. The report indicates an average of nearly 99,000 abortions each month in the first half of 2025, a 4% increase from the previous year.
Most abortions continue to be conducted in person; however, the latest #WeCount data shows a growing trend in medication abortions facilitated through telehealth. In the first half of 2025, 27% of all abortions were conducted via telehealth, significantly up from less than 10% in the same period of 2023. Notably, over half of these telehealth abortions occurred under shield laws, which offer legal protections for providers in states where abortion remains legal.
Dr. Alison Norris, co-chair of the #WeCount project and a professor at The Ohio State University’s College of Public Health, remarked, “Abortion bans don’t stop people from needing and pursuing essential abortion care… your access to healthcare depends on where you live and how much money you have.”
While the CDC’s data may lag behind that of other research organizations like the Guttmacher Institute, experts maintain its importance. Dr. Houry expressed that the CDC data set is valuable due to its reliance on health departments and its consistent methodology over the years, allowing for long-term trend analysis.
Nonetheless, the recent layoffs have left the CDC without critical expertise necessary for navigating the complexities of abortion data collection. Dr. Houry emphasized the challenge of replacing experienced personnel, stating, “It’s really hard to replace people… if you don’t have funding or staff.”
As the CDC grapples with these internal challenges, the delayed report underscores the ongoing debate surrounding abortion access and the implications of recent legal changes in the United States.
