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The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
While fewer women appear to be travelling outside Tennessee to obtain an abortion, the number of chemical abortions via pills mailed into the state seems to be increasing thanks to some ambiguity in Tennessee’s own abortion prohibitions and shielding laws in several pro-abortion states.
According to a report by the Guttmacher Institute, a research and policy organization which advocates for “sexual and reproductive health and rights”, fewer women crossed state lines to obtain an abortion in the first six months of this year than the same period in 2024.
This reporter could not independently verify that claim as the Guttmacher study does not have the Tennessee numbers for 2025 available on the interactive report.
However, the overall data for the United States shows that while there has been an approximately 8% decrease in those traveling to clinics in abortion-friendly states, it does not consider the growing numbers of those utilizing telehealth appointments to obtain abortion-inducing drugs.
For example, data from 2024 showed over 10,000 women travelled out of state to obtain surgical abortions in-clinic while an additional 5,840 mothers terminated their pregnancies with drugs obtained through telehealth appointments, per reporting from The Tennessee Lookout.
Tennessee women are continuing to seek abortions at organizations like The Massachusetts Medication Abortion Access Project, which was established in 2023 to provide telemedicine abortion procedures in all 50 states.
Dr. Angel Foster, the Project’s co-founder said the organization currently serves between 50-75 Tennessee women every month. She also relayed that many Tennessee clients she encounters already have one or more children.
Because of aggressive pro-abortion policies in several states, organizations like these are protected from liability by the passing of “shield laws”, many of which allow them to prescribe and mail FDA-approved abortion pills anywhere in the country and protects both the organization and staff from any out-of-state prosecution.
And the field of abortion-inducing drugs being delivered to women across the country just broadened as the FDA announced its approval of a generic version of the infamous mifepristone on Sept. 30.
As the Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the agency would conduct a new review on the safety and efficacy of mifepristone, the approval of the generic chemical abortion pill was a shock to many and has caused much outcry.
An FDA spokesman addressed the criticism, stating the agency “has very limited discretion in deciding whether to approve a generic drug,” but the administration continues to face pressure from pro-lifers to crack down on abortion pills, especially considering studies showing previously undisclosed dangers of the pill and concerns about its potential presence in the nation’s water supplies.
While Tennessee does have a theoretical ban on abortifacients being prescribed by telehealth visits or being transported via mail, there appears to be lack of enforcement, some ambiguity about whether those laws only apply to practitioners in the state, and consideration of the shield laws.
Rep. Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood-District 61) attempted to address the mailing of abortifacients in this year’s legislative session with his proposed Unborn Child Protection Act, which would have strengthened consequences for mailing or receiving via mail abortion pills from out-of-state and created liability through civil liability for manufacturers, distributors, sellers, or resellers of these pills. The Act never made it out of its assigned House subcommittee.
As of this writing, there have not been any bills filed for the 2026 legislation on the topic of abortion or abortion-inducing drugs.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
3 Responses
They need banned.
Pills are dangerous for the mother too, lots of side effects.
A moral compass starts at home. If parents teach their little girls to keep their legs closed until marriage, and teach their little boys to honor a woman to marriage, then murdering babies by pill will not be needed. Until we get the enemy out of our schools, government and churches that don'[t teach chastity, the murder of unborn babies will continue. Our nation was cured in 1973 from Road v. Wade: the curse was lifted 50 years later in 2023 with the overturning of that wrongful decided case. However, satan comes to steal kill and destroy and until our children are taught John 10:10 and the rest of the Word of God, he will devour whomever he can. Get the queers out of our schools and universities, as well as government seats. Eliminate all drag queen events and get this pedos and luciferian agents away from our kids. This takes community effort.