Impact of state abortion policies on maternal mortality post Dobbs v Jackson
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Abstract
The persistently elevated maternal mortality rate in the United States is a well-documented, significant issue. Access to safe, legal abortions is a powerful weapon in reducing maternal mortality. However, the US Supreme Court removed federal protection of abortion access in its Dobbs v Jackson ruling on 24 June 2022. While previous literature has found reduced abortion access to be associated with increased maternal mortality, there is insufficient data to answer whether states’ implementation of restrictive abortion policies in the wake of Dobbs v Jackson will result in a similar outcome. The proposed study is a prospective ecological analysis of maternal mortality metrics in the United States from 2018-2027. It uses an abortion policy composite index to quantify the restrictiveness of states’ abortion policies and reviews both maternal mortality ratios per 100,000 births (WHO definition) and per 100,000 pregnancies. Data gathered here has the potential to drive evidence-based policy changes to reduce maternal mortality in the future.
Description
2024