Texas lawmakers promoted their heartbeat law as a measure to save lives, but a recent study suggests the state’s near-total abortion ban may have led to an increase in infant deaths. The study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, reveals that infant mortality rates rose following the implementation of Texas’ Senate Bill 8 (S.B. 8), which prohibits abortions after approximately six weeks of pregnancy. This law took effect in September 2021, and the U.S. Supreme Court’s subsequent decision in the Dobbs case, which overturned the constitutional right to abortion, spurred more states to enact similar bans.
The study’s findings indicate that the Texas heartbeat law has had unintended and devastating consequences. Alison Gemmill, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health and the study’s lead author, described the increase in infant deaths as “spillover effects on moms and babies.” According to the research, more infants died before their first birthday due to birth defects or genetic issues that would have typically led to pregnancy termination. Texas law does not allow exceptions for such conditions, compelling mothers to carry these pregnancies to term.
The peer-reviewed study, conducted by researchers from Johns Hopkins and Michigan State University, found a significant rise in infant and neonatal deaths in Texas between 2021 and 2022. Previous research had suggested a correlation between anti-abortion laws and increased infant mortality, but this study is the first to directly attribute the fatalities to the restrictive abortion laws.
Wendy Davis, a senior adviser for Planned Parenthood Texas Votes, emphasized the essential role of abortion care in comprehensive healthcare. She noted that the study only covered data up to 2022, implying that the situation could be even more dire in subsequent years following the Dobbs decision. Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s office did not dispute the study’s findings but defended the state’s anti-abortion stance, claiming that the heartbeat law has given thousands of children a chance at life.
Anti-abortion advocates, while not contesting the increase in infant deaths, argue that such laws protect life. They believe that terminating a fetus with a terminal illness is equivalent to intentionally killing a child. Amy O’Donnell, a spokesperson for Texas Alliance for Life, stated that the study’s findings were not surprising and reiterated the belief that every unborn child deserves a chance at life, even if they are born with fatal anomalies.
Gemmill pointed out that the deaths of babies born with birth defects likely caused significant trauma to families. The study examined death records from the period after the heartbeat law went into effect, creating a “synthetic Texas” to simulate outcomes had the law not been in place. The results showed a 12.9% increase in infant deaths in Texas in 2022, compared to a national increase of less than 2%. Deaths due to congenital anomalies or birth defects spiked nearly 23% in Texas, while the national rate decreased by 3%.
Dr. Tracey Wilkinson, an associate professor at the Indiana University School of Medicine, highlighted the significance of the study, noting that Texas’ experience could reflect broader national trends. She emphasized that restricting people’s ability to make decisions about their pregnancies leads to increased infant and maternal mortality.
The study did not explore the effects of infant deaths on the health of mothers who were legally required to carry non-viable pregnancies to term, nor did it address the mental health impacts or financial costs to families. Gemmill is now investigating the impact of abortion restrictions on parents of different races and ethnicities, as prior research has shown higher death rates among Black mothers and babies.
Molly Duane, a senior staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights, has seen the real-world implications of Texas’ laws in the courtroom. She recently represented women who sued the state after being denied medical abortions. Duane questioned the claim that Texas is a “pro-life” state, given the study’s findings, and criticized the lack of accountability for the resulting human suffering.
A report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in late 2023 also found an increase in infant deaths for the first time in over 20 years, particularly in states with restricted abortion access. However, experts at the time could not definitively link the spike in fatalities to the abortion bans. The Texas study goes a step further, directly associating the state’s abortion restrictions with increased infant mortality.
In summary, while Texas’ anti-abortion heartbeat law was intended to save lives, the evidence suggests it has led to more infant deaths. The study underscores the complex and often tragic consequences of restrictive abortion laws, highlighting the need for a comprehensive approach to reproductive healthcare that considers the well-being of both mothers and infants.
Source: USA TODAY, JAMA Pediatrics
