Enhanced infant casualties stemming from stringent abortion regulations
Following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn the nationwide right to abortion in the United States, there has been a significant surge in infant mortality rates. This is according to a study published in the US journal "Jama Pediatrics." After the ruling, there was a higher infant mortality rate, often due to genetic abnormalities causing congenital defects.
The study's findings underscore the implications of restricted access to abortion in various regions across the country, as stated by its authors. The right to abortion was abolished in a landmark ruling by the conservative-dominated Supreme Court in June 2022. This is a highly debated issue in the ongoing US presidential election campaign.
Maria Gallo and Parvati Singh, researchers at Ohio State University, analyzed data from the 18 months following the ruling and compared it to earlier figures. In the months after the decision, "the U.S. saw higher-than-expected infant mortality rates," Gallo explained. In three specific months – October 2022 and March and April 2023 – the rate was approximately 7% higher than usual, leading to an average increase of 247 additional infant deaths in each of those months.
Study author discusses psychological impact
The majority of these deaths were attributed to congenital defects such as heart issues. Prior to the abolition of the right to abortion, those affected could've opted for an abortion rather than carrying the pregnancy to term and experiencing the loss of an infant, gallo mentioned.
"We need to factor in the emotional suffering of individuals, including the mental health ramifications, when abortion is denied or when a woman is compelled to carry a fetus with a fatal genetic abnormality," Singh added.
The study published in the US journal "Jama Pediatrics" highlights the implications of the Supreme Court's decision in the United States, which abolished the nationwide right to abortion. This decision has resulted in the United States experiencing higher-than-expected infant mortality rates, as discussed by Maria Gallo and Parvati Singh from Ohio State University.
Considering the emotional toll, Singh emphasizes the need to account for the mental health ramifications when abortion is denied or a woman is forced to carry a fetus with a fatal genetic abnormality within the context of the United States of America.
