“Abortion providers, OB-GYNs, nurse practitioners are being pushed out of certain parts of the country that do have these restrictive abortion laws. That’s having a spillover effect for those that want to continue their pregnancies,” said Jamila Taylor, president and CEO of the National WIC Association. Read more at Politico
It’s clear that abortion bans can make pregnancy more dangerous, but experts say it may take years for maternal mortality data to reveal the toll. Read more at Pro Publica
The new grim statistics are only expected to worsen. Abortion bans and restrictions are known to increase infant deaths, maternal deaths, and maternal suffering. And the US already has the worst maternal and infant mortality rates of any other high-income country in the world. Read more at Ars Technica
In the 11 months since the bans have been in place, Idaho has seen OB-GYNs, nurses, midwives and other staff speak out about these challenges. They’ve made difficult decisions to leave for states where they felt they could practice without the threat of criminal penalties. Multiple hospitals in Idaho have closed maternity units in part … Read more
Black women comprise a disproportionate percentage – 39% – of abortion patients in the United States, and many live in communities with limited access to health services, including family planning clinics and pharmacies. They also disproportionately experience higher rates of other reproductive health conditions, such as infant mortality and pregnancy-related complications and deaths. Read more … Read more
Black women were 2.6 times more likely to die during pregnancy and childbirth than their white counterparts in 2021 according to CDC analysis. Structural racism, medicaid coverage and a failure to properly invest in maternal healthcare all contribute to this. Black women report being dismissed, overlooked and ignored during childbirth and by the medical institution … Read more
While there is no law in the U.S. that regulates what a man can do with his body, the reproductive health of women is now more regulated than it has been in 50 years. And the scope of reproductive health care that women can receive is highly dependent on where they live. Read more at … Read more
States with abortion bans could drive away young doctors, especially OB-GYNs, survey finds The reluctance to be a medical resident — young doctors who train in hospitals or clinics after graduating medical school — in states with abortion bans could further strain health care shortages in many parts of the country. Read more at NBC … Read more
Meanwhile, more than 2.2 million women of childbearing age live in maternity care deserts, or areas where there’s a lack of maternity resources, including hospitals and birth centers offering obstetric care, according to a 2022 report by March of Dimes. According to the report, 16 percent of Black babies were born in areas with limited … Read more
“Forcing anyone in marginalized communities to continue their pregnancy, because they cannot terminate them, may actually contribute to an increase of maternal mortality rates in the state of Florida,” Colón-Larrauri said. Read more at NBC News
