The Women Most Affected by Abortion Bans

After the Dobbs decision, births rose in states with bans, but more for some women than others.According to a recent study analyzing birth data from 2023, the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court led to a rise in births in states with abortion bans. However, the effects were not equal for all women, with certain groups being more affected than others. The study found that Black and Hispanic women, women without a college degree, and women living far from a clinic were most impacted by the bans. While abortion rates have continued to rise, especially through the use of pills shipped into states with bans, the study sheds light on the specific groups of women who are most likely to be affected by these restrictions. For the average woman in a state with an abortion ban, the distance to a clinic increased from 50 miles to 300 miles, resulting in a 2.8 percent increase in births compared to what would have been expected without the ban. For Hispanic women living 300 miles from a clinic, births increased by 3.8 percent, while for Black women it was 3.2 percent and for white women it was 2 percent. Dr. Alison Norris, an epidemiology professor at Ohio State who helps lead a nationwide abortion counting effort, commented on the study, stating that it aligns with the fact that women who are younger, poorer, and have less education are more likely to have unintended pregnancies and face barriers to accessing abortion care. The New York Times reports that we are having trouble retrieving the article content and asks readers to enable JavaScript in their browser settings. If they are in Reader mode, they are asked to exit and log into their Times account, or subscribe for full access. 

Source:Read More

Leave a Reply