Abortion in New Mexico

Legal status of Abortion in New Mexico

Abortion in New Mexico is legal at all stages of pregnancy. The number of abortion clinics in New Mexico has declined over the years, with 26 in 1982, 20 in 1992 and 11 in 2014. There were 4,500 legal abortions in 2014. There were 7 facilities providing abortion in New Mexico in 2017, and 6 of those were clinics. In 2017, 91% of New Mexico counties had no clinics that provided abortions, and 48% of New Mexico women lived in those counties.[1]

New Mexico has almost no abortion restrictions in comparison to other states. There are no waiting periods, no required parental consent, and no inability to use state funding for an abortion.[2] In 2022, the administrator of Jackson Women's Health Organization moved to Las Cruces, New Mexico, and opened up a new abortion clinic called Las Cruces Women's Health Organization (LCWHO), due to New Mexico's extremely liberal abortion laws.[3]

In New Mexico politics, the Democratic Party of New Mexico supports access to abortion while the Republican Party of New Mexico opposes abortion, including calling for restricting or banning the procedure.[4][5][6] In the cities of Hobbs, Clovis and Eunice, local ordinances were passed in 2022 and 2023 to prevent abortion clinics from operating.[7] These ordinances were all overwritten by a 2023 state law prohibiting local abortion bans.[8]

## History

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### Legislative history

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In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, New Mexico, North Carolina and Oregon made reforms to their abortion laws, with most of these states providing more detailed medical guidance on when therapeutic abortions could be performed.[9] In 1969, the New Mexico legislature passed a law that made it a felony for anyone to provide a woman with an abortion unless it was needed to save her life, or because her pregnancy was a result of rape or incest.[10] The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in 1973's Roe v. Wade barred states from regulating abortion in the first trimester;[9] consequently, New Mexico's 1969 abortion law became unenforceable.[10] (However, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, No. 19-1392, 597 U.S. ___ (2022) later in 2022.[11][12]) In March 2019, the legislature considered a bill that would have repealed the 1969 law. While the New Mexico House of Representatives passed the repeal bill, it was defeated in the State Senate by a vote of 24–18.[10] In February 2021, the repeal bill passed the Senate; it was signed into law in March 2021.[13] The bill faced opposition from state Republicans.[4] Senate Bill 13 was signed into law in April 2023, which codified protections for abortion and persecution from out-of-state into state law.[14]

In 2017, New Mexico, Washington, Illinois, Alaska, Maryland, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Jersey allowed qualified non-physicians to prescribe drugs for medical abortions only.[15]

### Judicial history

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In 1999, the New Mexico Supreme Court ruled that the state ERA requires that Medicaid coverage to women must be available on the same basis as coverage to men, and struck down restrictions on Medicaid abortion coverage.[16]

In 2025, the New Mexico Supreme Court struck down several local ordinances in the state that attempted to restrict distribution of mifepristone, unanimously ruling that the ordinances invaded the state legislature’s authority to regulate reproductive care.[17]

### Clinic history

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Number of abortion clinics in New Mexico by year

See also: Abortion clinic

Between 1982 and 1992, the number of abortion clinics in the state decreased by six, going from 26 in 1982 to twenty in 1992.[18] In 2014, there were eleven facilities which provided abortions of which nine were abortion clinics.[19][2] In 2014, 91% of the counties in the state did not have an abortion clinic. That year, 48% of women in the state aged 15–44 lived in a county without an abortion clinic.[20] In March 2016, there were six Planned Parenthood clinics in the state.[21] In 2017, Planned Parenthood closed three clinics in the state. This was done around their plans to try to consolidate reproductive services they offered in the New Mexico.[22] Later that year, there were three total Planned Parenthood clinics in the state. At the time, the population was 456,213 for women aged 15–49 of which two offered abortion services.[22]

## Statistics

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In the period between 1972 and 1974, there were zero recorded illegal abortion deaths in the state.[23] In 1990, 181,000 women in the state faced the risk of an unintended pregnancy.[18] Between 2011 and 2014, there was a 10% decline in the number of abortions performed in the state.[2] In 2013, there were 150 abortions among white women aged 15–19, 20 abortions for black women aged 15–19, 370 abortions for Hispanic women aged 15–19, and 70 abortions for women of all other races.[24] In 2014, 51% of adults said in a poll by the Pew Research Center that abortion should be legal in all or most cases.[25] The 2023 American Values Atlas reported that, in their most recent survey, 67% of New Mexicans said that abortion should be legal in all or most cases.[26] In 2017, the state had an infant mortality rate of 5.9 deaths per 1,000 live births.[27]

After Roe v. Wade was overturned on June 24, 2022, the number of abortions in New Mexico more than tripled, primarily due to patients traveling from states with abortion bans.[28]

Number of reported abortions, abortion rate and percentage change in rate by geographic region and state in 1992, 1995 and 1996[29] Census division and state | Number | Rate | % change 1992–1996

|
|
|

1992 | 1995 | 1996 | 1992 | 1995 | 1996
US Total | 1,528,930 | 1,363,690 | 1,365,730 | 25.9 | 22.9 | 22.9 | –12
Mountain | 69,600 | 63,390 | 67,020 | 21 | 17.9 | 18.6 | –12
Arizona | 20,600 | 18,120 | 19,310 | 24.1 | 19.1 | 19.8 | –18
Colorado | 19,880 | 15,690 | 18,310 | 23.6 | 18 | 20.9 | –12
Idaho | 1,710 | 1,500 | 1,600 | 7.2 | 5.8 | 6.1 | –15
Montana | 3,300 | 3,010 | 2,900 | 18.2 | 16.2 | 15.6 | –14
Nevada | 13,300 | 15,600 | 15,450 | 44.2 | 46.7 | 44.6 | 1
New Mexico | 6,410 | 5,450 | 5,470 | 17.7 | 14.4 | 14.4 | –19
Utah | 3,940 | 3,740 | 3,700 | 9.3 | 8.1 | 7.8 | –16
Wyoming | 460 | 280 | 280 | 4.3 | 2.7 | 2.7 | –37
Number, rate, and ratio of reported abortions, by reporting area of residence and occurrence and by percentage of abortions obtained by out-of-state residents, US CDC estimates  Location | Residence | Occurrence | % obtained by

out-of-state residents

| Year | Ref

|
|
|
|
|

No. | Rate^ | Ratio^^ | No. | Rate^ | Ratio^^
New Mexico | 3,655 | 9.2 | 140 | 4,500 | 11.3 | 173 | 21 | 2014 | [30]
New Mexico  | 3,502  | 8.9  | 142  | 4,573  | 11.6  | 185  | 27.0  | 2016  | [31]
^number of abortions per 1,000 women aged 15–44; ^^number of abortions per 1,000 live births

## Abortion financing

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Seventeen states including New Mexico used their own funds to cover all or most "medically necessary" abortions sought by low-income women under Medicaid, thirteen of which are required by state court orders to do so.[32] In 2010, the state had 1,270 publicly funded abortions, of which none were federally funded and 1,270 were state funded.[33] Public funding was still available in May 2018.[2]

## Abortion rights views and activities

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Women from the state participated in marches supporting abortion rights as part of a #StopTheBans movement in May 2019.[34]

Following the overturn of Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022, hundreds of abortion rights protesters rallied in Albuquerque.[35]

## Anti-abortion views and activities

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### Violence

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On December 6, 2007, Chad Altman and Sergio Baca were arrested for the arson of Dr. Curtis Boyd's clinic in Albuquerque. Baca's girlfriend had scheduled an appointment for an abortion at the clinic.[36][37]

## References

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1. ^ "State Facts About Abortion: New Mexico". Guttmacher Institute. June 28, 2022. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
2. ^ a b c d "State Facts About Abortion: New Mexico". Guttmacher Institute. January 26, 2016. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
3. ^ McCullough, Jolie (June 29, 2022). "After losing battle to preserve Roe v. Wade, Mississippi's last abortion clinic is moving to New Mexico". The Texas Tribune.
4. ^ a b McKee, Chris (June 24, 2022). "What does the Supreme Court's abortion decision mean for New Mexico?". KRQE. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
5. ^ Porter, Kai (June 25, 2022). "The future of abortion rights in New Mexico". KOB 4. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
6. ^ "NM Democrats weigh law protecting abortion rights". Albuquerque Journal. June 24, 2022. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
7. ^ Brooks, Brad (November 8, 2022). "New Mexico city passes ordinance to block abortion clinics from operating". Reuters. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
8. ^ Lee, Morgan (March 16, 2023). "New Mexico gov. signs bill overriding local abortion bans". AP News. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
9. ^ a b Buell, Samuel (January 1, 1991). "Criminal Abortion Revisited". New York University Law Review. 66 (6): 1774–1831\. PMID 11652642.
10. ^ a b c "New Mexico Senate upholds dormant ban on abortion". Las Cruces Sun-News. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
11. ^ de Vogue, Ariane (June 24, 2022). "Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade". CNN. Archived from the original on June 24, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
12. ^ Howe, Amy (June 24, 2022). "Supreme Court overturns constitutional right to abortion". SCOTUSblog. Archived from the original on June 24, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
13. ^ Nott, Robert (February 26, 2021). "Governor signs bill repealing New Mexico abortion ban". Santa Fe New Mexican. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
14. ^ Morée, Susan (June 16, 2023). "Two reproductive healthcare laws go into effect today". New Mexico Political Report. Retrieved June 28, 2025.
15. ^ "Study: Abortions Are Safe When Performed By Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants, Certified Nurse Midwives". Retrieved January 25, 2017.
16. ^ "New Mexico Right to Choose NARAL v. Johnson". Legal Momentum. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
17. ^ "New Mexico supreme court strikes down local abortion pill restrictions". The Guardian. January 10, 2025. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
18. ^ a b Arndorfer, Elizabeth; Michael, Jodi; Moskowitz, Laura; Grant, Juli A.; Siebel, Liza (December 1998). A State-By-State Review of Abortion and Reproductive Rights. Diane Publishing. ISBN 9780788174810.
19. ^ Gould, Rebecca Harrington, Skye. "The number of abortion clinics in the US has plunged in the last decade — here's how many are in each state". Business Insider. Retrieved May 23, 2019.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
20. ^ Panetta, Grace; lee, Samantha (August 4, 2018). "This is what could happen if Roe v. Wade fell". Business Insider (in Spanish). Archived from the original on May 24, 2019. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
21. ^ Bohatch, Emily. "27 states with the most Planned Parenthood clinics". thestate. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
22. ^ a b "Here's Where Women Have Less Access to Planned Parenthood". Retrieved May 23, 2019.
23. ^ Cates, Willard; Rochat, Roger (March 1976). "Illegal Abortions in the United States: 1972–1974". Family Planning Perspectives. 8 (2): 86–92\. doi:10.2307/2133995. JSTOR 2133995. PMID 1269687.
24. ^ "No. of abortions among women aged 15–19, by state of residence, 2013 by racial group". Guttmacher Data Center. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
25. ^ "Views about abortion by state - Religion in America: U.S. Religious Data, Demographics and Statistics". Pew Research Center. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
26. ^ "Abortion Views in All 50 States: Findings from PRRI's 2023 American Values Atlas | PRRI". PRRI | At the intersection of religion, values, and public life. May 2, 2024. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
27. ^ "States pushing abortion bans have highest infant mortality rates". NBC News. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
28. ^ "Abortions in New Mexico more than triple post-Dobbs". Source NM. December 11, 2023. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
29. ^ Henshaw, Stanley K. (June 15, 2005). "Abortion Incidence and Services in the United States, 1995-1996". Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health. 30: 263–270. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
30. ^ Jatlaoui, Tara C. (2017). "Abortion Surveillance — United States, 2014". MMWR. Surveillance Summaries. 66 (24): 1–48\. doi:10.15585/mmwr.ss6624a1. ISSN 1546-0738. PMC 6289084. PMID 29166366.
31. ^ Jatlaoui, Tara C. (2019). "Abortion Surveillance — United States, 2016". MMWR. Surveillance Summaries. 68 (11): 1–41\. doi:10.15585/mmwr.ss6811a1. ISSN 1546-0738. PMC 6289084. PMID 31774741.
32. ^ Francis Roberta W. "Frequently Asked Questions". Equal Rights Amendment. Alice Paul Institute. Archived from the original on April 17, 2009. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
33. ^ "Guttmacher Data Center". data.guttmacher.org. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
34. ^ Bacon, John. "Abortion rights supporters' voices thunder at #StopTheBans rallies across the nation". USA Today. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
35. ^ Honeycutt, Jordan; Garate, Jessica (June 24, 2022). "Hundreds gather at Tiguex Park to protest Roe v. Wade decision". KRQE News. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
36. ^ "Suspects In Abortion Clinic Fire Plead Not Guilty - Albuquerque News Story - KOAT Albuquerque". July 13, 2011. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
37. ^ "New Mexico: Did You Know? Archived 2011-06-22 at the Wayback Machine". NARAL Pro-Choice America. Archived from the original on June 22, 2011. Retrieved June 21, 2011.

* v
* t
* e

Abortion in the United States by state

States|

* Alabama
* Alaska
* Arizona
* Arkansas
* California
* Colorado
* Connecticut
* Delaware
* Florida
* Georgia
* Hawaii
* Idaho
* Illinois
* Indiana
* Iowa
* Kansas
* Kentucky
* Louisiana
* Maine
* Maryland
* Massachusetts
* Michigan
* Minnesota
* Mississippi
* Missouri
* Montana
* Nebraska
* Nevada
* New Hampshire
* New Jersey
* New Mexico
* New York
* North Carolina
* North Dakota
* Ohio
* Oklahoma
* Oregon
* Pennsylvania
* Rhode Island
* South Carolina
* South Dakota
* Tennessee
* Texas
* Utah
* Vermont
* Virginia
* Washington
* West Virginia
* Wisconsin
* Wyoming

Federal district|

Washington, D.C.

Territories|

* American Samoa
* Guam
* Northern Mariana Islands
* Puerto Rico
* U.S. Virgin Islands

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