Births rose by an average 2.3 percent post-Roe v. Wade, study found
A new study has shown a significant increase in births since the landmark Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade and returned the decision on abortion to the states.
According to the study conducted by the Institute of Labor Economics, at least 32,000 babies have been born in states that have enacted some form of abortion restriction. This represents a 2.3% increase in births compared to states where abortion rights remain protected.
The study's authors state that this shift is the "most profound transformation of the landscape of U.S. abortion access in 50 years."
They note that as of November 2023, 14 states have enforced total bans on abortion and 23% of women of reproductive age have experienced an increase in driving distance to the nearest abortion facility.
Pro-life advocates, such as Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, see this increase in births as a positive outcome of pro-life policies. She argues that it is a "triumph" to see more children being welcomed into the world and rejects the notion that this is a negative development.
However, critics of the study, such as Alison Gemmill of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, argue that it represents an "assault on reproductive autonomy." They believe that the increase in births is a result of limited access to abortion, which poses a risk to the health and financial stability of those seeking abortions.
The study also revealed that the effects of the abortion restrictions were especially significant for Hispanic women and women between the ages of 20 to 24. The birth rates for these groups increased by 4.7% and 3.3%, respectively.
In addition, the study found that states with more stringent abortion restrictions, such as Mississippi and Texas, saw even higher increases in birth rates of 4.4% and 5.1%, respectively. This is attributed to the added difficulty and cost of traveling to access abortion services in neighboring states.
READ MORE:
A FEDERAL JUDGE TAKES AN AX TO COLORADO’S LIBERAL ABORTION LAWS
COLORADO SEES 29% INCREASE IN ABORTIONS AFTER ROE V. WADE OVERTURNED
COLORADO LEGISLATORS MAY HAVE HAD ‘ANTI-RELIGIOUS MOTIVATIONS’
The authors of the study warn that these findings highlight the risks and consequences of limiting abortion access for vulnerable populations, such as low-income individuals, those who have previously given birth, and those facing disruptive life events.
The overturning of Roe v. Wade has undeniably had a profound impact on the landscape of abortion access in the United States – and states with extremely liberal abortion laws, such as Colorado.