The Effect of Legislative Changes on Abortion Care: A Retrospective Study of One Hospital System in North Carolina [ID 1155]

INTRODUCTION: Limited data exists on characteristics of patients traveling for abortion since Dobbs , especially in the Southeast. North Carolina initially saw a surge of patients after Dobbs , but then put an abortion ban (SB20) into effect 1 year later. This study aims to describe patients seeking abortion at one hospital system between July 2021 and June 2024 and compare the risk factors for complications relative to state of residence. METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review. We collected demographics, medical history, and abortion care information on abortion patients. Patients were grouped according to date of care: prior to Dobbs (July 2021 to June 2022), after Dobbs (July 2022 to June 2023), and after SB20 (July 2023 to June 2024). We used descriptive statistics for medical and demographic data. To compare groups, we used a one-way ANOVA and independent samples t-tests. RESULTS: Of the 929 total patients, 291 were pre- Dobbs , 306 were post- Dobbs , and 333 were post-SB20. The average gestational age (GA) was 14.87, 13.45, and 9.68 weeks for pre- Dobbs , post- Dobbs , and post-SB20, respectively. Out-of-state residents had significantly higher GA compared to North Carolina residents in each time frame ( P <.01), despite significant decreases in GA at each time point ( P <.01). CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS: Patients traveling from out of state present at significantly higher gestational ages. In the period since abortion restrictions have increased in North Carolina after SB20, individuals presenting at 12 weeks of gestation and greater were more likely to have a fetal anomaly and be from out of state than those under 12 weeks.