26/06/2024
After Texas’ ban on abortion went into effect, infant deaths in the state increased by nearly 13%. In the rest of the country, infant mortality increased less than 2% over the same period, according to the new study out of Johns Hopkins University. Texas Senate Bill 8 took effect on Sept. 1, 2021, and prohibits abortions after the detection of a fetal heartbeat, which can be as early as five weeks, with no exceptions for in**st, r**e or fetal abnormalities. Previously, abortion was allowed until 20 weeks. “This is pointing to a causal effect of the policy; we didn’t see this increase in infant deaths in other states,” said Alison Gemmill, who led the research. “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.” After Texas’ ban on abortion went into effect, infant deaths in the state increased by nearly 13%. In the rest of the country, infant mortality increased less than 2% over the same period, according to the new study out of Johns Hopkins University. Texas Senate Bill 8 took effect on Sept. 1, 2021, and prohibits abortions after the detection of a fetal heartbeat, which can be as early as five weeks, with no exceptions for in**st, r**e or fetal abnormalities. Previously, abortion was allowed until 20 weeks. “This is pointing to a causal effect of the policy; we didn’t see this increase in infant deaths in other states,” said Alison Gemmill, who led the research. “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.”