Pro-Life Movement Faces Rising Abortion Rates Three Years After Dobbs Victory
Sarah Johnson
June 22, 2025
Brief
Three years post-Dobbs, pro-life movement grapples with rising abortion rates, targeting Planned Parenthood funding and abortion pills while navigating political and cultural challenges.
Three years after the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision handed abortion regulation back to the states, the pro-life movement faces a sobering truth: abortion rates haven’t dropped and may even be climbing. The victory, while historic, has splintered efforts as activists confront new hurdles.
Marjorie Dannenfelser, head of SBA Pro-Life America, calls Dobbs a "revolution" but admits the fight is far from over. Data from the Charlotte Lozier Institute shows over 1.1 million abortions occurred between July 2023 and June 2024, signaling no decline. The movement’s focus has shifted to defunding Planned Parenthood and restricting abortion pills like mifepristone, which are now mailed nationwide, even to states with bans.
Efforts to strip Planned Parenthood’s Medicaid funding through a congressional reconciliation bill are gaining traction, with Dannenfelser optimistic about its prospects. Such a move could shutter roughly 200 of the organization’s 600 locations, limiting access to services like cancer screenings and STI testing, alongside abortions. Meanwhile, the FDA’s 2021 decision to allow mail-order mifepristone has fueled what Dannenfelser calls a "direct assault" on state sovereignty, with "abortion tourism" undermining local laws.
Politically, pro-life groups are doubling down, with SBA Pro-Life America investing $92 million in the 2024 elections to secure a pro-life Congress and administration. Yet, some activists feel let down. Katie Xavios of the American Life League criticizes the current administration for not doing enough, pointing to its dismissal of a lawsuit to tighten mifepristone restrictions. She calls the pill’s distribution the "wild west" and doubts meaningful change without a staunchly pro-life leader.
Xavios argues that Dobbs wasn’t the triumph many expected. Beyond legal battles, she emphasizes teaching children to value life, addressing the cultural roots of abortion demand. As the movement navigates these challenges, the fight remains as much about hearts as it is about laws.
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Editor's Comments
The pro-life movement’s post-Dobbs struggle reminds me of a team celebrating a championship only to find the game’s still on. They’re swinging at Planned Parenthood and abortion pills, but it’s like trying to herd cats in a thunderstorm—those pills are zipping through the mail like rogue drones. And with political allies waffling, it’s no surprise some activists feel like they’re shouting into the void. Here’s a thought: if mifepristone’s the ‘wild west,’ maybe they need a new sheriff in town—one who doesn’t just study the saloon but shuts it down.
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