Colorado abortion fund helped 20 times more women last year as other states pass stricter laws
The number of women receiving financial help from a Colorado fund that pays for abortions is climbing as other states continue to enact abortion restrictions and bans.
The fund, managed by the nonprofit abortion rights group Cobalt, helped 20 times as many women last year compared with four years ago, according to fund data provided to The Colorado Sun. And it spent $204,000 helping pay for abortions and travel compared with less than $6,000 in 2017.
Women from Colorado, other states and other countries receive help through the fund to pay not only medical costs but travel expenses to drive or fly to a clinic that provides abortions, including procedures later in pregnancy. Colorado is one of only seven states without restrictions on when during pregnancy a woman can get an abortion.
The dramatic jump in fund activity comes as numerous other states pass laws restricting abortion, including so-called “heartbeat” laws that prohibit abortion after a heartbeat is detected. A medical exam can detect a heartbeat as early as six weeks into pregnancy, before some women know they are pregnant.
Read more: https://coloradosun.com/2021/06/02/colorado-abortion-financial-help-cobalt/