Price, Restrictions and Abortion Demand

Abstract

This study uses pooled time-series data to estimate the effects of various restrictive abortion laws on the demand for abortion. This study differs from prior pooled time-series cross-section research in that it explicitly includes the price of an abortion in the abortion demand equation. State Medicaid funding is found to increase the abortion demand of women of childbearing age; while the price of an abortion, parental involvement, parental consent, and parental notification laws all have a negative effect on the demand for abortions. State mandatory waiting periods have no statistically significant impact on abortion demand. The empirical results remain robust for the abortion demand of teen minors. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]