JAMA Health Forum

Telehealth abortion requests rose threefold among adolescents after Dobbs decision

February 18, 2026

This cross-sectional study analyzed 228,465 requests to a nationwide online telemedicine medication abortion service from September 2021 to October 2023. Weekly request rates per 100,000 female residents increased across adolescents (2.8 to 8.6), young adults (8.8 to 25.0), and adults (2.5 to 7.4) after the Dobbs decision (all P < 0.001). The largest increases occurred in states with the most restrictive abortion policies. Among adolescents, pre‑Dobbs request rates were higher in states requiring parental consent and notification compared with states without parental involvement laws (5.8 vs. 2.5), and this difference widened post‑Dobbs (17.6 vs. 6.4; P < 0.001). Requests were received from all 50 states and Washington, DC.

Clinical takeaway: Consider the potential impact of state-level abortion restrictions and parental involvement laws when assessing adolescents’ access to medication abortion via telemedicine.

Source:

Johnson DM, et al. (2026, February 6). JAMA Health Forum. Adolescent and Young Adult Requests for Medication Abortion Through Online Telemedicine. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12905652/