Published on
Updated
Reading 2 min.
Abortion restrictions or bans in some US states may have the unintended consequence of reducing access to contraception and increasing infant mortality, two studies published this week in a scientific journal have warned.
The studies come as the United States marks two years this week since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on the federal right to abortion in June 2022, giving each state back its freedom to legislate.
A first study, published Wednesday in the journal Jamashows that in states where an abortion ban has been adopted, there has been a significant drop in the number of contraceptive pills and morning-after pills dispensed by pharmacies.
The pill, taken orally every day, is the most common method of hormonal contraception in the United States. The morning-after pill is an emergency contraception taken quickly after sexual intercourse when another contraception was defective (torn condom, etc.) or missing.
For their study, the researchers analyzed more than 143 million prescriptions between March 2021 and October 2023.
The observed decline can be explained, according to them, by the closure of family planning clinics in these states, where abortions were performed but which also prescribed contraceptives.
Concerning the morning after pill specifically, confusion over its legality in these states may also play a role, according to the study. She notes that the United States Medicines Agency (FDA) recently changed the label of one of them to emphasize that it was not an interruption of pregnancy.
Other policies aimed at restricting contraception (for example by authorizing a pharmacist not to dispense it due to personal religious beliefs) may also have played a role, according to the study.
Given the importance of contraception for “prevent the need for abortion, efforts to increase and protect access to contraception oral, particularly emergency contraceptionare necessary, especially in states where abortion is most restricted.“, the researchers conclude.
“Family trauma”
Another study, published Monday in the same journal, studied the consequences of abortion restrictions on infant mortality.
She focused on a law that came into effect in September 2021 in Texas, and which limited abortion to approximately six weeks of pregnancy, with no exceptions for congenital diseases.
According to researchers, trends observed in its wake can provide valuable insights into the possible impact of restrictions adopted subsequently after the Supreme Court’s decision.
By analyzing death certificates, researchers observed a 12.9% increase in the number of deaths of babies under 12 months in Texas between 2021 and 2022, compared to 1.8% when considering all other states.
The researchers also observed a 22.9% increase in Texas in infant deaths from congenital conditions — the leading cause of infant mortality — between 2021 and 2022.
“These findings suggest that restrictive abortion policies may have important unintended consequences in terms of child health, family trauma, and medical costs.“, commented Alison Gemmill, lead author of the study, in a press release.
Texas has since completely banned abortion, except in cases of danger to the mother’s life. Fear of prosecution, however, leads some Texan doctors to refuse to intervene even in the event of serious complications.