The findings highlight the consequences of restricting abortion access across much of the country, according to the authors of the paper in JAMA Pediatrics
In three months—October 2022, March 2023 and April 2023—the rates of infant mortality were about seven percent higher than typical, leading to an average of 247 more infant deaths in each of those months.
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US infant mortality surged in the months following the Supreme Court decision to overturn the national right to abortion, driven by a rise in the number of babies with birth defects, a study said Monday.
The findings highlight the consequences of restricting abortion access across much of the country, according to the authors of the paper in JAMA Pediatrics.Â
They also align with previous research published earlier this year, which focused specifically on Texas, a state that implemented a six-week abortion ban in 2021.
Restoring abortion protections dismantled by a Supreme Court shaped during Donald Trump's presidency has emerged as a cornerstone in Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign for the November 5 election.
Researchers Maria Gallo and Parvati Singh of The Ohio State University analyzed a national database of birth outcomes, examining historical trends and comparing them to data from the 18 months following the June 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson ruling.