Abortion laws have been gaining traction. There are many risks of pregnancy, including death. According to reports, cutting off access to abortions could increase death rates, especially for Black women.
Following the June 24, 2022, development about maternal health, many people were in an uproar, and looking back; there could be severe consequences. Although many people believe that banning abortion could pose significant risks to many women of reproductive age. So far, about eighteen states have banned some or all access to abortion care, which has already made it challenging for people to access needed abortion.
The U.S maternal mortality rate has compounded the issue, and the inaccessibility to abortion care that many women are facing could exacerbate the death rate. Currently, the maternal mortality rate is the number of pregnancy-related deaths for every 100,000 live births. The United States notably has the highest maternal rate among developed countries, and Black women experience the brunt of it.
According to data obtained by specific states, there could be dire consequences for Black women who don’t have access to needed abortions. According to information from the University of Colorado Boulder, a calculated increase in maternal deaths in the United States would occur if abortion were wiped out. This also applies to the rest of the 26 states that have the strong potential to ban abortion. Further details of the study also found that under a nationwide total abortion ban, there would be approximately a 24 percent increase in expected overall maternal deaths nationwide, with Black women projected to see a 39 percent increase.
Numerous reports have shown that Black women in the U.S. are more likely to die from pregnancy or childbirth than women in any other race group. A report from the National Partnership for Women and Families also stated that Black women are three to four times more likely to experience a pregnancy-related deaths or complications compared to women of other races and this spans income and education levels.
Health experts link the high rates of abortion among Black women to disparities in healthcare access, including lack of access to quality health insurance and birth control.
According to a Duke University report, pregnancy-related deaths in the United States will increase for Black women if abortions are banned. In terms of the number of additional deaths and the increase in lifetime risk, the additional mortality burden is also estimated to be greatest among Black women.