LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Nearly three years after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, abortion access groups in Kentucky report a rising demand for services.
Savannah Trebuna works with the Kentucky Health Justice Network, which oversees a fund to help people across the state get access to abortion services.
She said the organization has been increasingly busy over the past three years.
After Kentucky's near-total ban on abortion, people are often traveling hundreds of miles to neighboring states such as Virginia, Ohio and Illinois to obtain care, adding significant expenses to the ordeal.
Trebuna’s office has experienced a surge in call volume, with a reported 30 percent increase over the previous year as people continue to request financial assistance.
"With grocery costs rising, gas prices rising, and uncertainty about how tariffs will impact us, we know that's being felt by a lot of Kentuckians. And it's making it harder and harder for people to pay for something that's considered an emergency expense," Trebuna said.
Crossing state lines for care adds an extra financial burden for many that typically would have used insurance.
"People are prohibited from using their public or private health insurance, so a lot of people are going to clinics being expected to have the full cost of their appointment up front," she said.
Despite the strict bans in place across many states, national data suggests an increase in the number of abortions being performed.
The Society of Family Planning estimated an 11% rise in the number of abortions across the U.S. in 2024 compared to 2023, in part due to expanded telehealth options.
