23,000 Babies Saved from Abortion Thanks to Florida's 'Heartbeat Law'

New data released from the Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration shows that more than 23,000 babies have been born who would have otherwise been aborted, since the state's "heartbeat law" went into effect. 

Florida has become one of the most pro-life states in the nation since Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the "Heartbeat Protection Act" in 2023. 

The law protects unborn babies after their unique heartbeats can be detected, between six-to-eight weeks gestation, and provides resources for young mothers and families. 

It also requires giving a pregnant woman an option to view an ultrasound, a 24-hour reflection period unless there is an emergency, and she must have informed consent. And while it does include exceptions for cases of rape, incest, and human trafficking, it must be officially documented.

The law went into effect on May 1, 2024, after a lengthy legal battle in which Florida's Supreme Court ruled 6-1 that there is no right to abortion in the Florida Constitution. The "Heartbeat Protection Act" went into effect alongside the state's 15-week abortion ban. 

The law includes the same exceptions from the 15-week ban for preserving the life of the mother, which includes ectopic pregnancies; fatal abnormalities where the unborn baby is unexpected to survive outside the womb; and to "avert a serious risk of substantial and irreversible physical impairment or a major bodily function of the pregnant woman other than a psychological condition."

Florida was once a prime destination for women seeking an abortion in the South. Many of its neighboring states already had protections in place for unborn babies, however, since the legislation went into place non-Florida residents traveling from out of state for an abortion fell significantly in 2024 – almost 51 percent – Liberty Counsel, a non-profit legal group, reports. 

"The news of fewer abortions in Florida, previously an abortion destination state, is evident that pro-life laws are saving lives and protecting women. Pro-life laws will only continue to bear fruit and we must continue to affirm everyone's inalienable right to life whether born or unborn," Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said.

The "Heartbeat Protection Act" has also provided $30 million in reoccurring state funding to support pregnant women and their families with clothing, cribs, car seats, and more. 

As CBN News reported, since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, tens of thousands of babies have been saved from abortion. 

A 2023 study from the Institute of Labor Economics found that 32,000 babies were born who would have otherwise been aborted in the year following the high court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. 

"Our primary analysis indicates that in the first six months of 2023, births rose by an average of 2.3 percent in states enforcing total abortion bans compared to a control group of states where abortion rights remained protected, amounting to approximately 32,000 additional annual births resulting from abortion bans," the study revealed.

The researchers noted that the high court decision sparked the "most profound transformation of the landscape of U.S. abortion access in 50 years," based on preliminary birth data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

"Within hours of the decision, abortions were halted in 10 states, either in response to a ban triggered by the decision or to the expected enforcement of a pre-Roe abortion ban that was still on the books. Over the weeks and months that followed, the landscape of abortion access continued to shift as more states sought to enact and enforce abortion bans and as some of those bans were challenged in state courts," the study described. 

Kristan Hawkins, the president of Students for Life of America, responded to the study by writing on X that the pro-life movement is making headway. 

"Don't let anybody tell you that you can't make a difference in the world. Thanks to the Pro-Life Gen's dedication and sacrifice to the cause, all of those babies will have a chance at life, who otherwise wouldn't," she wrote. "Praise God!"