A recent peer-reviewed study revealed that Idaho has lost more than a third of its OB-GYN workforce over the past two years. This decrease follows the implementation of the state’s stringent abortion bans.
The study highlighted that 114 out of 268 physicians either left the state, retired or stopped practicing, resulting in a 35% net drop since 2022. Rural areas are particularly affected, with only 23 OB-GYNs serving nearly 570,000 people outside Idaho’s largest counties.
The study, which directly surveyed physicians, found that many are leaving due to legal risks associated with abortion laws.
