The End of Roe Doesn’t Need to Bring an Increase in Maternal Mortality

July 11, 2022

(New York Times) – It has been argued repeatedly that without access to abortion, the health of women will suffer and women will die. This fear is expressed overtly by the three dissenting justices in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the decision that overturned Roe v. Wade last month. They cite experts who say that “a ban on abortions increases maternal mortality by 21 percent.” These concerns are real. But comparison with Europe shows that such dire outcomes are not preordained. Many of Europe’s abortion laws are stricter than many Americans may realize, and the issue is less of a political fixation, but maternal health outcomes in Europe are much better. (Read More)