CDC abortion surveillance report delayed amid agency turmoil
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has postponed its annual abortion surveillance report—featuring crucial federal data reflecting shifts in abortion access—until spring 2026 due to upheaval within the agency, reports BritPanorama.
For decades, states voluntarily report abortion data to the CDC, which synthesizes this information into an annual report typically released in late November. However, this year’s report is set to be exceptionally delayed, raising concerns among stakeholders regarding reproductive health data tracking.
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has attributed the delay to actions taken by former CDC Chief Medical Officer Dr. Debra Houry, claiming she instructed staff to return state-submitted data rather than conduct an analysis. Houry, however, contests this explanation, suggesting that significant staff reductions at HHS have hindered the CDC’s ability to execute the report.
After thousands of layoffs at HHS in April, Houry spearheaded efforts to manage the fallout, which included a communications policy that required pre-approval from political appointees for external communications. She pointed to insufficient funding and staffing as reasons that the abortion surveillance project could not proceed. HHS has since indicated that Houry did not inform agency leadership before halting the data project, although it has not provided details about the notification process.
In August, Houry was among several senior officials who resigned in protest after the abrupt dismissal of CDC Director Dr. Susan Monarez, who had only recently assumed her role. Resigning officials cited censorship and a breakdown in communication as factors driving their exit.
The delayed report is particularly significant as it is expected to incorporate data from 2023, marking the first comprehensive analysis following the US Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, which eliminated the federal right to abortion. Outside researchers have been tracking abortion trends over the last few years. The latest #WeCount report from the Society for Family Planning indicates that the number of abortions in the US has continued to rise post-Dobbs.
The report shows that, in early 2025, an average of nearly 99,000 abortions occurred monthly, reflecting a 4% increase over the previous year. Although most abortions remain in-person procedures, medication abortions via telehealth are responsible for this year’s increase. Telehealth accounted for 27% of all abortions within the US healthcare system in the first half of 2025, a substantial rise from less than 10% in early 2023.
Moreover, over half of telehealth abortions are executed under shield laws that provide legal protections for healthcare providers operating in states where abortion remains legal, allowing them to prescribe medication to individuals in areas with stricter laws. Data reveals that nearly 15,000 abortions were performed under such protections in June.
Dr. Alison Norris, co-chair of the #WeCount research project, remarked on the disparities in access to abortion care, emphasizing, “Abortion bans don’t stop people from needing and pursuing essential abortion care.” She noted that while telehealth has improved access, it remains insufficient for everyone, highlighting the ongoing harm caused by abortion restrictions.
Despite the lag in CDC’s data, experts acknowledge its relevance, as it offers a comprehensive view over time, pulling from health department records and utilizing standardized questions. Nonetheless, the agency’s staffing challenges following recent layoffs have complicated this critical endeavor.
Ultimately, the ongoing challenges faced by the CDC in producing timely and accurate abortion data underscore significant gaps in reproductive health surveillance, with implications for policy and care access in the evolving landscape post-Dobbs.
