In the wake of increasing abortion bans across the United States, it’s essential to reaffirm a crucial fact: abortion is healthcare. Denying access to this medical service not only violates bodily autonomy but also exacerbates health disparities, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities. The rise in infant mortality and maternal health complications in states with abortion restrictions highlights the real-world consequences of such bans.
Abortion as Essential Healthcare
Abortion is often framed as a moral or political issue, but fundamentally, it is a healthcare service. Medical professionals agree that abortions are necessary for a variety of reasons, including non-viable pregnancies, life-threatening conditions, and severe fetal abnormalities. Restricting access to abortion forces people to carry pregnancies under dangerous circumstances, risking their health and, in many cases, their lives. This is especially critical in cases where maternal health deteriorates due to conditions that could be safely managed with access to abortion.
In Texas, for example, after the state implemented its restrictive abortion laws, a study found that infant mortality rates rose by 13% due to an increase in fatal fetal conditions carried to term. Women were forced to endure the trauma of carrying non-viable pregnancies, only for their infants to die shortly after birth. These tragic outcomes are the direct result of denying basic medical care, which would prevent unnecessary suffering for both individuals and families.
Economic and Social Consequences
Beyond the immediate health risks, restricting abortion also has profound economic and social consequences. Women who are denied abortions are more likely to live in poverty, struggle with long-term health issues, and face barriers to education and employment. The ripple effects of these outcomes extend beyond individuals to the broader society, as communities bear the burden of increased healthcare costs, reduced workforce participation, and heightened economic inequality.
Furthermore, states that restrict access to abortion tend to have worse overall maternal and child health outcomes. This reflects a broader disregard for the healthcare needs of women and families, as these states often fail to provide adequate support for prenatal and postnatal care, leaving vulnerable populations without necessary resources.
Denying Healthcare Hurts the Country
By denying abortion access, we are not just curtailing individual freedoms—we are actively harming the country. Higher rates of maternal mortality, increased infant deaths, and worsened economic conditions all contribute to a nation that is less healthy, less prosperous, and less just. The right to healthcare, including abortion, is integral to ensuring that all people can lead dignified lives, free from unnecessary suffering.
Countries that maintain access to abortion services alongside robust healthcare systems tend to fare better on key health and economic indicators. Restricting abortion not only fails to improve these outcomes but also creates a cycle of harm that affects generations.
Abortion is healthcare, and denying access to it only serves to exacerbate suffering and deepen inequalities. In a just society, healthcare decisions must remain in the hands of individuals and their medical providers, not dictated by political or religious ideologies. As we face a future where abortion access is increasingly restricted, it’s critical to advocate for policies that recognize the right to comprehensive, compassionate, and evidence-based healthcare for all.
