A ten-year-old rape victim who was denied abortion in her US state days after the overturning of Roe v Wade has become one of the many young girls and women forced to travel between states to receive care.
On June 24, the US Supreme Court overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v Wade ruling that recognised a woman's constitutional right to an abortion and legalised it nationwide.
By erasing abortion as a constitutional right, the ruling restored the ability of individual states to ban abortion. Around half of US states are expected to pass laws heavily restricting abortion rights or outright banning them altogether.
Just hours after the ruling, the state of Ohio changed its laws to make abortions after six weeks illegal - however many women do not know they are pregnant before that time limit.
Three days after the Supreme Court ruling, Dr Caitlin Bernard from the state of Indiana, received a call from a colleague who works with child abuse victims in Ohio. The colleague revealed they had a 10-year-old patient who was six weeks and three days pregnant, The Columbus Dispatch reported.
Indiana lawmakers have not made changes to their abortion policy, however, the Indiana General Assembly will convene in a special session on July 25 to discuss restrictions on abortion. But with the Governor of Indiana openly pro-life, many expect abortions will be significantly restricted in the state within weeks.
But for now, the procedure is still legal so the girl was sent to Indiana to receive an abortion.
Abortion providers like Dr Bernard say they are receiving a sharp increase in patients seeking abortion from neighbouring states where producers are restricted or banned.
"It’s hard to imagine that in just a few short weeks we will have no ability to provide that care," Dr Bernard told the outlet.
One Indiana women's medical centre reported they have doubled the number of abortions performed last week after accepting many referrals from Ohio.
Women and pregnant people are "crying, distraught, desperate, thankful and appreciative," the representative wrote to The Columbus Dispatch.
According to Time, a number of states have set themselves up as 'save havens' for women who need abortions.
It reported 16 states and Washington DC so far plan to continue to protect abortion rights, with several strengthening abortion protections, such as funding, to help meet the rise in demand by individuals forced to travel out of state for care.
