Four years after Dobbs, the quiet shutdown of independent abortion clinics has become a nationwide crisis—leaving 14 states with zero clinics and countless communities without any nearby, in-person reproductive care.
Picture a map of the United States. It’s 2022, and in southern states like Texas and Tennessee, there are clusters of black dots that represent independent clinic closures. These are abortion care black holes: communities where it’s no longer possible to get an abortion at a nearby clinic.
Fast forward to present. It’s 2026, four years after the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, and black dots have multiplied in states across the country. It no longer matters if the state is red or blue governed by conservatives or progressives. None are immune to the increasing weight of political pressure, financial strain and operational difficulty that are forcing independent clinics to close or stop providing abortion care. Each of these black dots is a community suffering a healthcare crisis, and they are proliferating across the United States at a rapid rate.
Even before the Supreme Court made its decision in the Dobbs case, it was already hard to find reproductive healthcare in many parts of the country. Back then, 89 percent of counties did not have a single place to get an abortion.
After the Dobbs decision, things became much harder, creating a health emergency in many communities. Right now, 14 states have zero abortion clinics.
Today, Abortion Care Network (ACN) is more determined than ever to support independent clinics through our campaign, Keep Our Clinics, and connect the community of abortion care clinics, providers and their allies.
Independent abortion clinics are working harder than ever, as they are dealing with strict rules, confusion, legal battles and more patients who are pushed out of their local communities and need help.
Since the Dobbs decision, many independent abortion clinics in the Midwest and South have had to close. This devastation goes far beyond the disappearance of abortion care; it means dismantling a foundational pillar of the local medical infrastructure, in both vital services and trusted guidance.
A single clinic closing might not make big headline news, and when independent clinics close, it changes everything.
Independent clinics are often the only places to get clinical abortion care, unbiased information and support for pregnancy options. They are where people go to feel safe and respected, whether they are getting an abortion, continuing a pregnancy or getting gender-affirming care. In small towns and rural spaces, these clinics are often the only safe place for many people, especially those who are LGBTQIA+. If clinics close, there is often nowhere else to go.
Moreover, once abortion clinics close, it’s not as simple as reopening when they can, if they can. Even if a specific restriction is lifted, severe financial constraints, continued political hostility, threats of violence and legal uncertainty still stand.
Yet in spite of the challenge, independent providers remain compassionate, welcoming sanctuaries, staffed by local teams. Not only do they show up for patients everyday, they also perform the vast majority of clinical and publicly available abortions in the United States, virtually and in their offices. They are also responsible for the bulk of clinical care and abortion procedures after the first trimester of pregnancy.
These providers believe that abortion care should not be about politics—it’s about a human right to dignity and health. They do not care about a patient’s political views; they only want to help those in need. But the truth is, as political attacks continue, these clinics can be forced to close, resulting in huge loss of access for millions of people.
Independent clinics are fighting to keep care available across the country. Access to abortion care means having safe, nearby, trusted and open services for everyone. ACN supports independent clinics as they are the front lines of this work. We must remember that healthcare is a human right, and continue to fight to Keep Our Clinics.
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A note from Ms. editors: We want to hear from you for The Majority, a new campaign collecting stories about how reproductive freedom has enabled readers to build the lives they want and need. Poll after poll shows a majority of Americans support reproductive healthcare access. Yet public debate overlooks the lives shaped by abortion access, contraception, IVF, miscarriage care, maternal healthcare or comprehensive sex education—countless women who chose to pursue an education, have children, not have children, protect their health and chart their own future. Add your voice and complete the sentence: “Access to reproductive choices gave me the freedom to….” Together, these stories will help show not only why reproductive freedom remains a majority value, but also what it makes possible.
Look to these trusted groups if you or a loved one needs to know more about reliable abortion care:
- A one-stop-shop for abortion seekers: I Need An A
- Other websites to explore all your options for abortion care: Plan C Pills, Abortion Finder
- Safe websites to buy abortion medication: Aid Access, Massachusetts Medication Abortion Access Project, Hey Jane
- If you need help affording abortion care, tell your telemedicine provider or contact an abortion fund near you.
- To protect your digital privacy when planning your abortion, click here.
- For free legal help as a patient or doctor, call If/When/How’s Repro Helpline—844-868-2812—or contact Pregnancy Justice.
- For medical advice, contact the Miscarriage & Abortion Hotline: 833-246-2632.
- If you need to know the abortion law in your state, look to the Center for Reproductive Rights. or Guttmacher Institute.
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