New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has announced the launch of a new telephone hotline designed to assist women seeking abortions. The hotline, already operational and currently undergoing expansion, connects callers with registered nurses from the state's Department of Health. The hotline is funded through existing resources and can be reached at (833) 767-3776.
This initiative comes as New Mexico experiences a significant rise in abortion procedures, largely attributed to an influx of patients from states with restrictive abortion laws, such as Texas. State data reveals a stark increase, with over 11,000 abortions reported in 2022, compared to nearly 4,900 in 2021. This year alone, New Mexico has seen almost 5,300 abortions performed across its 19 abortion providers. Of these, six offer surgical abortions while the remainder provide medication-induced abortions.
The Women's Reproductive Clinic, which provides legal medication abortion services, in Santa Teresa, New Mexico. (ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)
Beyond abortion access, the hotline will also offer guidance on other maternal health matters. Governor Lujan Grisham suggests this comprehensive approach could attract more out-of-state healthcare providers to relocate to New Mexico. The hotline's launch coincides with the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade, the landmark ruling that previously guaranteed nationwide abortion access.
