Almost three years ago, the last abortion provider in Guam retired, leaving a significant hole in reproductive care access for the island, an unincorporated U.S. territory. To worsen matters, until recently, Guam’s laws did not allow access to reproductive care or medication abortion via telehealth.
That left the island – with a population of over 170,000 people – without abortion providers and abortion services throughout the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Guam has been designated a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) and a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) by the federal government – meaning that most specialized medical services are thousands of miles away.
The number of surgical abortions in Guam prior to 2017 was about 200 per year. Now, the number is zero, and people must leave the island to receive surgical abortion care.
Most make the 8-hour flight to O'ahu, Hawai'i as their closest option. To the U.S. mainland, it’s a flight of 12 hours or more.
The Honolulu Planned Parenthood Health Center is a top choice among Guam patients. Although we are not able to offer telemedicine abortion services to patients in Guam, we are grateful to be able to offer in-clinic abortion services. While there are technically over 20 abortion providers on the island of O'ahu, only four are clinics, which tend to offer greater scheduling and payment flexibility for patients. Guam patients may also choose an in-person appointment at the Planned Parenthood health center on Maui in Kahului, depending on what works best for their travel and scheduling needs. Planned Parenthood directs Guam patients seeking telemedicine abortion to Dr. Bliss Kaneshiro and Shandhini Raidoo at the University of Hawaiʻi faculty practice.
“We see patients from Guam a lot more than you might think. We actually helped a patient from Guam the other day!” exclaimed Lisa Perry, Kahului Health Center Manager.
“Patients from Guam are coming from an area with literally zero options so we’re going to make sure they can get care when they come to us,” said Area Services Director Lolita Kinsey-Brown.
Honolulu Health Center Manager Chellsea Delapena noted that health center staff are used to accommodating patients who travel from other islands to receive care.
“Some of the needs we’re used to seeing – like expense, lodging, transportation – are magnified because they’re coming from a greater distance,” she said.
Delapena pointed out that the average cost of a flight from Guam to Hawai’i is $1,000.
Communications Marketing Manager Rebecca De León noted that the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit to restore at least some form of abortion access in Guam in early 2021 - medication assisted abortion via telehealth. While the lawsuit will not create providers where none currently practice, it did challenge the telehealth restriction in Guam’s laws.
To support Planned Parenthood health centers in Hawai'i and ensure abortion access for patients from Guam, please donate here.