Nonprofit Expands Abortion Care Transport
The Green Cab, a Virginia-based nonprofit, is expanding its efforts to provide transportation and logistical support for individuals seeking abortion care. The organization aims to reduce practical barriers to access created by restrictive laws and limited local services within the state.
- Virginia is the only remaining state in the South without a post-Roe abortion ban, making it a critical access point for people from surrounding regions. - The number of abortions performed in Virginia increased from an estimated 2,310 in June 2022 to 3,530 by March 2024, reflecting an influx of out-of-state patients. - A proposed constitutional amendment to protect reproductive freedom, including abortion, contraception, and fertility treatment, must pass the General Assembly a second time before it can appear on the ballot for voters in the 2026 General Election. - In 2020, Virginia passed the Reproductive Health Protection Act, which repealed several restrictions on abortion access, including a 24-hour waiting period and mandatory ultrasounds. - Under current Virginia law, advanced practice clinicians such as nurse practitioners are permitted to provide first-trimester abortion care. - The American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) has formally recognized the role of midwives in abortion care, a significant shift from its original 1971 stance that prohibited certified nurse-midwives from performing abortions. - A new state law taking effect July 1, 2025, will allow certified nurse-midwives to serve on 24-hour on-call rosters for nursery care, a move designed to address significant maternity care shortages, particularly in the 36% of Virginia counties considered "maternity care deserts." - Virginia is projected to have an 8% shortage of Registered Nurses by 2038, part of a larger healthcare workforce crisis the state is addressing through new legislation and workforce development initiatives.
