A new study published in JAMA Pediatrics revealed a concerning link between Texas’ stringent anti-abortion laws and a significant rise in infant mortality. The research conducted by Johns Hopkins University and Michigan State University found that the state’s near-total abortion ban, Senate Bill 8 (S.B. 8), led to a 12.9% increase in infant deaths between 2021 and 2022. This increase contrasts sharply with the overall U.S. rise of less than 2%.
S.B. 8, which took effect in September 2021, prohibits abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy, with no exceptions for rape, incest, or severe congenital anomalies. The Supreme Court’s subsequent overturning of federal abortion rights in the Dobbs decision further tightened restrictions, triggering similar laws in over a dozen other states. The study suggests that these restrictions have had dire consequences, particularly in Texas.
Dr. Alison Gemmill, the study’s lead author and an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins, highlighted the “spillover effects on moms and babies” of such stringent laws. The study noted that many of the additional infant deaths were due to birth defects or genetic problems that, prior to the law, would have been addressed through abortion.
The research examined death records and compared Texas’s data with national trends, creating a “synthetic Texas” to model outcomes had the law not been enacted. In 2021, Texas recorded 1,985 infant deaths, which rose to 2,240 in 2022, a stark contrast to the national trend. The neonatal mortality rate (deaths of babies younger than 28 days) in Texas also increased by 5.8%, while it decreased in the rest of the United States.
Critics argue that the law has inflicted unnecessary trauma on families forced to carry nonviable pregnancies to term. Wendy Davis of Planned Parenthood Texas Votes described the findings as evidence of the devastating human impact of abortion bans. Similarly, Dr. Tracey Wilkinson from Indiana University noted that restricting reproductive choices leads to increased maternal and infant mortality.
The Texas government, however, defends its stance. Governor Greg Abbott’s office reiterated the state’s commitment to protecting unborn children and providing resources for expectant mothers. Amy O’Donnell of Texas Alliance for Life stated that every life saved is valued, regardless of disabilities or fatal diagnoses.
The study underscores the need for further research into the broader implications of restrictive abortion policies. It raises critical questions about maternal health, the emotional toll on families, and the financial burdens of carrying and delivering terminally ill newborns. Researchers are particularly interested in how these laws affect parents of different races and ethnicities, given existing disparities in maternal and infant mortality rates.
This study adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting that restrictive abortion laws can lead to increased health risks and fatalities. As more states enact similar policies, the findings from Texas may foreshadow broader national trends.
