A recent study reveals that US infant mortality rates surged in the months following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the national right to abortion. The increase is largely attributed to a rise in babies born with birth defects, highlighting the consequences of restricting abortion access in many states.
Researchers Maria Gallo and Parvati Singh from The Ohio State University analyzed national birth outcome data, comparing trends before and after the June 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson ruling. They found that in the months following the decision, infant mortality was approximately seven percent higher than expected, resulting in an average of 247 additional infant deaths each month during October 2022, March 2023, and April 2023.
The majority of these deaths were linked to congenital anomalies, including heart defects and other severe malformations. Gallo noted, “These are cases in which before Dobbs, people would have been able to have an abortion rather than have to continue the pregnancy and go through the experience of having an infant die.”
Currently, 21 states either ban or heavily restrict abortions, and the aftermath of the Dobbs decision has led to significant changes in state-level abortion laws. Abortion-related measures will be on the ballot in 10 states during the upcoming elections, as activists seek to secure new protections for the procedure.
The researchers aim to determine whether the rise in infant mortality is consistent across all states or concentrated in those with strict abortion laws. Co-author Singh emphasized the broader implications, including the mental health consequences for those denied abortion care or forced to carry a fetus with fatal abnormalities to term.