Do any state restrictions actually reduce abortion?
In a 2018 analysis conducted for the Charlotte Lozier Institute, Catholic University of America Professor Michael New found that parental involvement laws have lowered abortion rates by at least 13% among minors in the states where they have been enacted. The most dramatic results were seen in laws requiring parental consent, rather than just notification, and laws requiring involvement from both parents, rather than just one.
Since these laws can be circumvented if a girl can travel to a nearby state without a parental involvement law, such laws are more effective when neighboring states have similar laws in force.
Sources:
New, Michael, PhD. “How the Legal Status of Abortion Impacts Abortion Rates.” Charlotte Lozier Institute. May 23, 2018. https://lozierinstitute.org/how-the-legal-status-of-abortion-impacts-abortion-rates/.
