In nearly a dozen states with total or near-total abortion bans, official records show zero abortions in 2023

In nearly a dozen states with total or near-total abortion bans, government officials claimed that zero or very few abortions occurred in 2023 .

Medical professionals say such accounts are not only untrue but fundamentally dishonest.

Anti-abortion politicians and activists have cited these statistics to bolster their claims that their decades -long crusade to end abortion is a success.

Abortion rights supporters agree that there has been a steep drop in the number of abortions in every state that enacted laws criminalizing abortion.

Practitioners find themselves working in a culture of confusion and fear, which could contribute to a hesitancy to report abortions.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not mandate abortion reporting.

At least six states have enacted what are called “shield laws” to protect providers who send abortion pills to patients in states with abortion bans.

Good-government groups like Common Cause say the dangers of officials relying on misleading statistics are myriad, including a disintegration of public trust and ill-informed legislation.