Current:Home > ScamsInfant mortality rate rose following Texas abortion ban, study shows-LoTradeCoin
Infant mortality rate rose following Texas abortion ban, study shows
View Date:2024-12-24 08:11:30
In the wake of Texas' abortion ban, the state's infant death rate increased and more died of birth defects, a study published Monday shows.
The analysis out of Johns Hopkins University is the latest research to find higher infant mortality rates in states with abortion restrictions.
The researchers looked at how many infants died before their first birthday after Texas adopted its abortion ban in September 2021. They compared infant deaths in Texas to those in 28 states — some also with restrictions. The researchers calculated that there were 216 more deaths in Texas than expected between March and December the next year.
In Texas, the 2022 mortality rate for infants went up 8% to 5.75 per 1,000 births, compared to a 2% increase in the rest of the U.S., according to the study in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.
Among causes of deaths, birth defects showed a 23% increase, compared to a decrease of about 3% in the rest of the U.S. The Texas law blocks abortions after the detection of cardiac activity, usually five or six weeks into pregnancy, well before tests are done to detect fetal abnormalities.
"I think these findings make clear the potentially devastating consequences that abortion bans can have," said co-author Suzanne Bell, a fertility researcher.
Doctors have argued that the law is too restrictive toward women who face pregnancy complications, though the state's Supreme Court last month rejected a case that sought to weaken it.
Infant deaths are relatively rare, Bell said, so the team was a bit surprised by the findings. Because of the small numbers, the researchers could not parse out the rates for different populations, for example, to see if rates were rising more for certain races or socioeconomic groups.
But the results did not come as a surprise to Tiffany Green, a University of Wisconsin-Madison economist and population health scientist who studies the consequences of racial inequities on reproductive health. She said the results were in line with earlier research on racial disparities in infant mortality rates due to state differences in Medicaid funding for abortions. Many of the people getting abortions are vulnerable to pregnancy complications, said Green, who was not part of the research.
Stephen Chasen, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist with Weill Cornell Medicine, said abortion restrictions have other consequences. Chasen, who had no role in the research, said people who carry out pregnancies with fetal anomalies need extra support, education and specialized medical care for the mother and newborn — all of which require resources.
- In:
- Health
- Death
- Texas
- Pregnancy
veryGood! (9)
Related
- Sting Says Sean Diddy Combs Allegations Don't Taint His Song
- Unemployment aid applications jump to highest level since October 2021
- Khloe Kardashian Shares Sweet New Family Photo Featuring Her Baby Boy
- Wildfire smoke causes flight delays across Northeast. Here's what to know about the disruptions.
- Social media star squirrel euthanized after being taken from home tests negative for rabies
- Why Vanessa Hudgens Is Thinking About Eloping With Fiancé Cole Tucker
- Eyeballs and AI power the research into how falsehoods travel online
- Shonda Rhimes Teases the Future of Grey’s Anatomy
- CFP bracket prediction: SEC adds a fifth team to field while a Big Ten unbeaten falls out
- Below Deck Alum Kate Chastain Addresses Speculation About the Father of Her Baby
Ranking
- Democratic state leaders prepare for a tougher time countering Trump in his second term
- Tom Holland says he's taking a year off after filming The Crowded Room
- Today’s Climate: July 29, 2010
- Brain Cells In A Dish Play Pong And Other Brain Adventures
- Brush fire erupts in Brooklyn's iconic Prospect Park amid prolonged drought
- Today’s Climate: July 8, 2010
- After a patient died, Lori Gottlieb found unexpected empathy from a stranger
- Sea Level Rise Will Rapidly Worsen Coastal Flooding in Coming Decades, NOAA Warns
Recommendation
-
Waymo’s robotaxis now open to anyone who wants a driverless ride in Los Angeles
-
Bachelor Nation's Brandon Jones and Serene Russell Break Up
-
18 Slitty Dresses Under $60 That Are Worth Shaving Your Legs For
-
In close races, Republicans attack Democrats over fentanyl and the overdose crisis
-
Unexpected pairing: New documentary tells a heartwarming story between Vietnam enemies
-
Real Housewives' Kim Zolciak and Kroy Biermann Break Up After 11 Years of Marriage
-
Benefits of Investing in Climate Adaptation Far Outweigh Costs, Commission Says
-
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story’s Arsema Thomas Teases Her Favorite “Graphic” Scene