Just over a year after the US Supreme Court repealed the right to self-determined abortion, some of the consequences are beginning to become clear. 14 American states governed by Republicans have introduced an almost total ban on abortion. The most populous of the 14 is Texas. There, a total ban was introduced in practice in September 2021. Texas was the only state that had introduced a ban before the Supreme Court ruling in 2022. The only exception to the law is in cases where the woman’s life is in danger. Before the law was passed, abortion had been permitted up to the 22nd week of pregnancy. Map from The Fuller Project shows which states had a ban on abortion as of 16 July 2023. In addition to the states with bans, there are several states with severely limited rights. 5 percent more births The well-reputed university Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has looked at the effects of the ban in Texas. In a study published in Jama, the researchers write that from April to December 2022, 297,088 children were born in Texas. There were 9,799 more than the researchers expected based on the models they had created. In one month, December 2022, the number of births was 5 percent higher than what could be expected under the previous abortion law. Alison Gemmill, one of the researchers behind the study, says it does not provide clear answers as to why these extra births occurred. “The findings strongly suggest that a significant number of pregnant women in Texas were unable to overcome the barriers placed in the way of obtaining an abortion,” Gemmill told the Texas Tribune. Amanda Zurawski almost died when she was denied an abortion last year, despite being told the fetus would not survive her pregnancy. She is now one of 13 women who have sued the state. Photo: AFP Abortion opponents rejoice The numbers from the researchers have led to jubilation in Texas Right to Life, the largest organization of abortion opponents in Texas. – Every single baby that is saved from a voluntary abortion should be celebrated, says the organisation’s president, John Seago. He says the study shows the organisation’s success over the past two years. A patient rests after having an abortion performed at a clinic in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Women in Texas must travel ever farther to get an abortion. Photo: Reuters – Hard to imagine After the study was carried out, it has become even more difficult for women in Texas to get an abortion. Of Texas’ neighboring states, only New Mexico now allows abortion. As a result, women in Texas have to travel far to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. Previous research showed an increase in the number of women who traveled from Texas to neighboring states to have an abortion, writes CNN: This will mean that people with poor means, especially minorities, can hardly make long and expensive trips. At the same time, Suzanne Bell, one of the researchers behind the study, says that it is important to look at the people behind the numbers. She says that people who are refused an abortion experience a number of health problems, both physical and mental. – It is difficult to imagine the short- and long-term effects for the 9,799 people who were refused an abortion, says Bell. Public opposition Opinion polls show that among Americans there is a clear majority against restricting women’s right to self-determined abortion. In a survey conducted for NBC News, 61 percent of those asked said that it was wrong for the Supreme Court to abolish the right to abortion. Among women aged 18 to 46, 80 percent are critical of restricting the right to self-determined abortion,
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Almost 10,000 more babies born in Texas after abortion ban – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
