Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, Oklahoma saw reported clinic abortions fall to zero.
However, State Sen. Brian Guthrie (R-District 25) says the fight to protect life is far from over as out-of-state providers are bypassing state laws by mailing abortion pills directly into Oklahoma homes.
“In 2023, Oklahoma reported zero. In ‘25, Oklahoma again reported zero. And you think, ‘Okay, we've stopped abortion,’ but unfortunately that's not the case because the abortions are obtained through out-of-state providers,” Guthrie states. “Their mailed medications are not captured by our state’s clinic. They're not reported.”
In August, Oklahoma House Bill 1168 went into effect, making it a felony offense to “knowingly possess or deliver abortion-inducing drugs to someone who intends to use them for an unlawful abortion.”
Guthrie was recently reminded of the threat after seeing a full-page newspaper advertisement promoting mail-order abortion pills available in all 50 states — an ad that ran on Father’s Day.
While Oklahoma previously passed legislation banning abortion-inducing drugs through delivery services, out-of-state “shield laws” make enforcement a challenge. Guthrie emphasizes why lawmakers must remain vigilant.
“Oklahoma has made it clear that we do value the lives of the unborn children, but we're facing a new challenge. The pills can now be obtained through the mail ... And as legislators, we have to make sure that our laws are keeping up and that we're doing everything we can legally to protect the unborn children and women,” Guthrie states.
Guthrie is asking for prayers as lawmakers work to close this final gap.
Oklahoma is not the only state that has been dealing with an abortion pill infestation. Mail-in abortion pills have been a pain in the side for many pro-life states, such as Louisiana, since the Dobbs decision, as they circumvent the laws those states have put in place.
