A recent analysis conducted by the Institute of Labor Economics revealed a profound impact resulting from new state abortion bans following the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The study found a significant increase in the number of births, estimating approximately 32,000 additional babies born annually since the Supreme Court decision last year that overturned Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion nationwide in 1973.
According to the analysis, all states that implemented abortion bans witnessed a surge in births, utilizing birth data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spanning from 2005 to June of the following year. The data further suggested that between a fifth and a fourth of women in the 14 states with abortion bans, who might have opted for abortion, chose not to do so, based on statistics from the first six months of this year.
Comparatively, states with abortion bans recorded an average of 2.3% more births than those without such bans. Despite this increase in births, nationwide data showed that the number of legal abortions has largely remained stable or even slightly risen post the Supreme Court’s decision last year. This was attributed to the opening of new clinics in states without bans and the accessibility of ordering abortion pills online.
The study pointed out that specific demographic groups, such as women in their 20s, black women, and Hispanic women, witnessed a considerable rise in birth rates. Researchers highlighted that these groups faced greater challenges in affording travel out of state for abortion services and were more likely to seek abortions.
The analysis also highlighted the correlation between driving distances to abortion clinics and birth rate increases. States like Texas and Mississippi, which saw significant spikes in birth rates post-abortion bans, experienced substantial increases in driving distances to the nearest abortion clinics after the bans were enforced.
Furthermore, the impact of ordering abortion pills online was noticeable in certain states with bans. States like Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana saw significant rises in orders for abortion pills from overseas providers, which researchers anticipated might have contributed to a lesser-than-expected surge in birth rates in these states.
Kristan Hawkins, President of Students for Life of America, highlighted the positive perspective on the increased birth rates resulting from pro-life policies. She emphasized that the emphasis should be on recognizing that pro-life policies have resulted in saving lives, presenting it as a triumph rather than a negative outcome.
