June 24, 2024 (HealthDay News) — A new study has found that infant deaths in Texas increased by nearly 13% following the state’s 2021 abortion ban. In contrast, the national increase was just 1.8%.
The study from Johns Hopkins University revealed a 22.9% rise in infant deaths due to birth defects in Texas in 2022, the year after the ban took effect. Meanwhile, the rest of the U.S. saw a 3.1% decline in such deaths during the same period.
The research is particularly relevant in the wake of the July 2022 Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
“Restrictive abortion policies may lead to increased infant mortality, causing trauma to families and higher medical costs,” said Alison Gemmill, assistant professor at Johns Hopkins and lead researcher.
The findings were published in JAMA Pediatrics on June 24.
Gemmill’s team examined data on infant deaths from Texas and 28 other states from 2018 to 2022. They focused on March to December 2022, the first period when infants were born under the 2021 Texas abortion ban.
During this period, Texas recorded 216 excess infant deaths. The increase in deaths related to birth defects was especially concerning.
“Congenital malformations, the leading cause of infant mortality in the U.S., may increase due to forced continuation of pregnancies with defects or anomalies,” the researchers stated.
They also noted that forcing women to carry unwanted pregnancies could lead to financial and emotional stress, particularly among disadvantaged groups, increasing risk factors for infant mortality.
In an editorial linked to the study, reproductive and child health experts said the Texas study highlights the harms of abortion bans.
Dr. Ghazaleh Moayedi and Aketch Osamb of Pegasus Health Justice Center in Dallas, and Dr. Atsuko Koyama of the University of Arizona in Phoenix, pointed to data showing increased maternal morbidity and poor fetal outcomes at Dallas hospitals following the ban.
They believe this study is an indicator of broader national impacts.
“Abortion bans harm everyone,” the experts concluded. They expect more research will continue to reveal the negative effects of such policies.
