JAMA Pediatrics Published Study Rise in Infant Deaths in Texas to Abortion Ban – ASEAN NOW

A recent study published in JAMA Pediatrics links a significant rise in infant deaths in Texas to the state's stringent abortion ban enacted in 2021. The study, conducted by analysts from Johns Hopkins University and Michigan State University, investigated infant mortality rates following the implementation of the Texas heartbeat law, which effectively banned abortions around 5 to 6 weeks into pregnancy. This law, passed in September 2021, was one of the most restrictive in the nation at the time, prohibiting abortions after the detection of a fetal heartbeat, typically around six weeks of gestation.

The researchers found a troubling increase in infant deaths in Texas between 2021 and 2022. The number of infant deaths rose from 1,985 to 2,240, representing a 12.8 percent increase, compared to a 1.8 percent increase across the rest of the United States during the same period. This spike in Texas's infant mortality rate significantly outpaced the national average, which only saw a modest increase.

Prior to this law, Texas permitted abortions up to 22 weeks of pregnancy. The new restrictions, however, made no exceptions for cases of rape or incest, nor for congenital anomalies or birth defects. The study also highlighted a notable rise in congenital anomalies in Texas, which increased by 22.9 percent, contrasting sharply with a 3.1 percent decrease in such cases across the rest of the country.

The researchers noted that the Texas heartbeat law's implementation appeared to correlate with increased infant deaths, particularly due to congenital anomalies among infants who were in early gestation when the law took effect. This correlation suggests that the restrictive abortion policies may have unintended and severe consequences on infant health.

The study's findings were released on the two-year anniversary of the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, which had previously granted a constitutional right to abortion since 1973. This landmark ruling empowered states to impose their own abortion regulations, leading to a wave of restrictive abortion laws in several Republican-led states, including Texas.

Dr. Alison Gemmill, one of the study's lead authors, emphasized the relevance of these findings in light of the Supreme Court's ruling. She stated, "These findings suggest that restrictive abortion policies may have important unintended consequences in terms of infant health and the associated trauma to families and medical costs." This study underscores the broader implications of such policies, indicating that they may not only impact women's reproductive rights but also have far-reaching effects on infant mortality and family well-being.

Researchers employed statistical modeling and analyzed publicly available death-certificate data from January 2018 to December 2022 to arrive at these conclusions. Another research paper published last year corroborated these findings, linking nearly 10,000 additional live births in Texas to the state's abortion ban. The studys release and its alarming findings provide a crucial perspective on the real-world impacts of restrictive abortion legislation, highlighting the need for further examination and discussion on the implications for public health and policy.

Credit: Hill 2024-06-26

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