Inducing Demand for Abortion in the Absence of Medical Necessity: Planned Parenthood and Abortion Drugs

Author(s): James Studnicki, John W. Fisher, Elyse Gaitan, Tessa Longbons Cox, Genevieve Plaster

After nearly three decades of persistent decline in the U.S., the volume and rate of induced abortions turned unexpectedly upward in 2018. Given the discretionary preferential nature of the abortion decision, supply-induced demand (SID) is likely an important contributor to this abrupt change. We discuss the dominant provider (Planned Parenthood Federation of America) and abortion method (medical abortion), and the means by which they enhance demand. Their combined efforts and evolution have enabled the survival of abortion services even during three decades of contraction and the subsequent current period of growth.