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In the 18 months following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, most states enforcing abortion bans experienced a concerning rise in infant mortality rates, according to newly published research.
Two studies, released on February 13 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), found that states with complete or near-total abortion bans after six weeks of pregnancy saw an overall 6% increase in infant deaths. This surge amounted to 478 more infant deaths than expected, based on previous trends.
Disproportionate Impact on Black Infants
The findings indicate that among non-Hispanic Black infants, the death rate increased by 11%. The research team, led by Alison Gemmill of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, highlighted a rise in babies born with fatal birth defects—cases in which abortion was previously a legal medical option.
Alyssa Bilinski, a health policy professor at Brown University who reviewed the study, pointed out that “the groups that are most likely to have children as a result of abortion bans are also individuals who are most likely, for a number of different reasons, to have higher rates of infant mortality.”
Southern States Most Affected
The increase in infant deaths was primarily concentrated in the South. Texas saw the largest rise, with a 9.4% increase in infant deaths—far exceeding other states. Texas had already implemented a strict abortion ban in 2021, before the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade.
“All but 94 of the additional 478 infant deaths were in Texas, which has a much larger population than any of the other states with bans,” said co-author Suzanne Bell of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Other states with significant increases included Kentucky (8.6%), Alabama (6.9%), and Oklahoma (5.1%).
Higher Birthrates in States with Bans
In addition to increased infant mortality, states with abortion bans also saw a 1.7% rise in birthrates, equating to 22,180 more births than projected based on prior trends.
“It might seem like a 1.7% change in the fertility rate isn’t a big deal, but it’s actually a very big deal,” Gemmill told The New York Times. The increase exceeded the 1.4% birthrate uptick observed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
While nine states with abortion bans reported increased infant deaths, five states—Idaho, Missouri, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Louisiana—did not see a rise. Researchers attribute this discrepancy to expanded abortion access in neighboring states such as Illinois and Maryland.
Socioeconomic Disparities and Policy Implications
The studies emphasize that women who were unable to access abortion care predominantly came from low-income and minority communities—demographics already at higher risk for maternal and infant health complications.
Caitlin Myers, an economist at Middlebury College who studies abortion data but was not involved in this research, noted that abortion bans deepen disparities in healthcare access. “What happens when you ban abortion is that you create enormous inequality in access,” she said.
The Debate Continues
Anti-abortion advocates argue that the higher birthrate should be seen as a positive outcome. Dr. Donna Harrison, director of research at the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, stated, “All of these ‘excess’ children who were born would have been killed in induced abortions. This means that anyone lamenting the results of this study isn’t really concerned that these babies died; rather, they wish they would have been killed earlier: in the womb.”
However, researchers argue that the focus should be on reducing infant mortality and supporting affected families. Bilinski, who authored an editorial accompanying the studies, stated, “If we are in a world where more people who perhaps didn’t plan to and didn’t feel prepared to become parents are becoming parents, we should think about what it means to be supporting those families in a real and tangible way.”
Disclaimer
This article presents findings from independent research and does not take a stance on abortion policy. Readers are encouraged to review the full studies in JAMA for a comprehensive understanding of the data. For information on abortion laws, visit Planned Parenthood or legal resources in your state.
