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Making Abortion Illegal Will Only Increase Women’s Death Risk In The US – Report

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A substantial amount of evidence suggests that restricting access to abortion does not lower the number of abortions, but rather raises the risk of death for those who require them.

A leaked opinion draft from the US Supreme Court suggests that the highest court in the country is about to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 case that protects the right to abortion in the US. On May 2, the news site Politico revealed a draft written by Samuel Alito, one of the court’s justices. The repercussions for women’s health will be devastating if – or, as many now believe in the wake of this disclosure, when – the verdict is overturned.

According to research, making abortion illegal has little effect on the number of abortions done. According to a 2009 study by experts at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, countries with more stringent legislation have higher abortion rates than countries where abortion is widely available. Restrictive abortion policies, on the other hand, significantly increase the chance of death for those who receive them. Abortion-related mortality is 34 times higher in nations with stringent abortion regulations, according to the same study.

Abortion, whether by medicine or surgery, is one of the safest gynecological treatments – far safer than childbirth if done correctly. According to the most recent data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 0.41 fatalities per 100,000 legal abortions occur in the United States, compared to 23.8 deaths per 100,000 live births.

Abortions done in unhygienic conditions or by inexperienced practitioners, on the other hand, can be fatal. According to a 2009 research, 68,000 women die each year from unsafe abortions around the world, mostly from bleeding and infection, while another 5 million suffer long-term health consequences.

Unwanted pregnancy dangers

Pregnancy and giving birth can be painful and even deadly on their own. In 2020, 861 women in the United States died as a result of pregnancy or childbirth-related causes. Preeclampsia and gestational diabetes afflict 6–8% of pregnant women and having these illnesses during pregnancy raises the risk of high blood pressure and diabetes later in life.

The CDC reports that maternal mortality rates for black women in the United States are roughly three times greater than for white women. If birth is pushed, women will face these dangers.

Limiting abortion access might also cause emotional pain. In a study of 956 women in the United States who sought abortions, those who were denied the surgery experienced higher levels of worry, lower life satisfaction, and lower self-esteem in the weeks after the procedure than those who received one.

Another detrimental effect of limited abortion access is the impact on children born from undesired pregnancies. “Unwanted pregnancy has been associated with deficits to the subsequent child’s cognitive, emotional and social processes,” according to the American Psychological Association. “These children are more likely to experience negative long-term outcomes in adulthood, such as an increased likelihood of engaging in criminal behavior, dependency on public assistance, and having an unstable marriage .”

So, what’s next?

The US Supreme Court has yet to pronounce on whether or not the ruling upholding the right to abortion in the country should be overturned. The paper that was leaked was an early draft of a majority judgment, and an official verdict is expected in June. People who require an abortion right now can still get one.

If Roe v Wade is overturned, it will not make abortion illegal in the United States as a whole, but it will be illegal in specific states. The draft ruling by the Supreme Court follows the passage of the most state-level abortion restrictions in a single year.

Thirteen states have prepared so-called trigger laws that, if Roe v Wade is reversed, will effectively ban all abortions. Another nine states have existing anti-abortion laws that were rendered unenforceable when Roe v Wade was decided, but will almost certainly be reinstated if it is overturned. If Roe v. Wade is reversed, the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive rights research organization, estimates that 26 states will likely ban abortion.

As a result, safe abortion access will be determined by geography and resources, putting the most vulnerable at even greater danger.

Image Credit: Getty

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