CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As states around the country tighten their abortion laws, North Carolina is seeing more people travel to the state to have the procedure.

According to a study by the Guttmacher Institute, North Carolina performed the second-most abortions for out-of-state patients in 2024.

“We know that the vast majority of states in the Southeast have little or no access to abortion,” Chief Medical Officer for Planned Parenthood South Atlantic Dr. Katherine Farris said. “If people can't get it close to home, they will travel wherever they can.”

What You Need To Know

  • The study found that more than 45,000 abortions were performed in the state in 2024, including 16,700 for patients who traveled from out of state
  • Abortions are banned in North Carolina after 12 weeks

  • The chief medical officer for Planned Parenthood South Atlantic said patients are traveling from as far as Texas to have the procedure

The study found that more than 45,000 abortions were performed in the state in 2024, including 16,700 for patients who traveled from out of state.

Farris said she has seen patients travel to North Carolina from across the country.

“Of course, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, the entire Southeast and sometimes as far as Texas,” Farris said.

Abortions are banned in Georgia, South Carolina and Florida after six weeks. In Tennessee, abortion is outlawed at all stages except for some emergencies. 

North Carolina's most recent abortion laws were enacted in 2023, which banned the procedure after 12 weeks. Since then, Farris said Planned Parenthood South Atlantic has hired more staff and offers appointments six days a week to accommodate the number of people seeking the procedure.

“What we did is we looked at the location that had the highest demand and we said, ‘How can we offer more appointments?’" Farris said. “Sometimes, that was more appointments per day. Sometimes that was adding more days of the week or increasing our hours.”

Dr. Bill Pincus, the president of North Carolina Right to Life, provided the following statement in response to the Guttmacher Institute’s findings:

"A recent April 2025 report from the Guttmacher Institute showed that abortions in North Carolina held steady at around 46,000 in both 2023 and 2024. Of these, 36% (about 16,700) were for out-of-state women, making North Carolina the second-highest state for out-of-state abortions — largely due to stronger pro-life laws in neighboring states. Current law protects life after 12 weeks, with limited exceptions for the life of the mother, rape and incest up to 20 or 24 weeks. Unfortunately, since 90% of abortions occur before 12 weeks, most babies are aborted before they are protected by law. North Carolina Right to Life continues to advocate for laws that protect both women and unborn children."

According to the Guttmacher Institute, Illinois, Kansas and New Mexico also performed thousands of abortions for out-of-state patients.