NSW abortion deserts: just three of 220 public hospitals provide terminations, research finds

Lack of access to abortion at many New South Wales hospitals leaves women forced to travel great distances and spend thousands of dollars to receive care. Photograph: Allison Bailey/NurPhoto/Rex/Shutterstock

Just three of New South Wales’ 220 public hospitals are routinely providing abortions, according to research by the University of Sydney.

The research, which maps lack of access to abortion in the state, also reveals that a majority of the state’s cities and towns are “abortion deserts”, meaning the nearest service is more than 160km away.