Did you know there are fewer abortion providers in Alaska now than in 1973? 

There are currently only seven abortion providers in Alaska, fewer than there were in 1973 when the U.S. Supreme Court decided Roe v. Wade, recognizing a woman's Constitutional right to choose.

In 2000, 85% of Alaska counties had no abortion provider; 39% of Alaska's women lived in those counties. The scarcity of abortion providers is especially problematic because Alaska is so large (it is the nation's largest state) that many women must travel hundreds of miles to reach a provider. The difficulty experienced by women in arranging transportation, child care and time off work or school to travel such long distances may lead to delays in obtaining abortions, increasing the cost and potential health risks. A greater number of abortion providers would mean greater access, and improved reproductive health, for Alaskan women.

The Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI), State Facts About Abortion: Alaska (2003) at http://www.agi-usa.org/pubs/sfaa/print/alaska.html (last visited Jan. 20, 2004); The Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI), Trends in Abortion in Alaska, 1973-2000, at http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/state_ab_pt/alaska.ppt (last visited Jan. 20, 2004).