Overturning of Roe v Wade

 After the overturning of Roe v. Wade last summer, many states across the country lost their abortion rights immediately. 13 states had “trigger laws,” where abortion was immediately outlawed following the overturning of Roe, and a total of 17 states currently have laws in place outlawing abortion. Many of these states are in the South and Midwest and have a greater proportion of Black and Hispanic women. Because of this, women in these states who wish to get an abortion may have to travel out of state to a state that still has laws in place protecting abortion rights, and this results in additional barriers to care that will disproportionately affect people of color. Additionally, the majority of people obtaining abortions are people of color. People of color, particularly Black women, also have much higher rates of maternal death compared to white women. According to the Black Woman’s Health Imperative, Black women are 3-4 times more likely to not survive a pregnancy compared to white women. It is estimated that these numbers are likely to increase, with a 33% increase in the number of pregnancy related deaths among Black women, and 21% increase in pregnancy related deaths overall. Women of color may also be at an increased risk of criminalization due to the existing issues in the U.S. Justice System. Thus, the overturning of Roe v Wade is not only a women’s health issue, but also a racial justice issue. 

Banning abortion does not decrease the number of abortions, but it will change health outcomes, especially for populations who are already at risk of poor pregnancy outcomes. Preventing safe access to abortion care only leads to increased rates of unsafe abortion practices. This can range anywhere from using herbal teas, household chemicals like bleach or detergents, coat hangers, and blunt force trauma to the abdomen. People who attempt abortion through these methods have an increased risk of mortality. Harvard Medical School conducted a study regarding Romania’s abortion ban between the 1960’s and 1980’s, and researchers found that maternal mortality increased from 20 per 100,000 to 148 per 100,000. Within one year of reversing the abortion law, the rate of maternal deaths dropped back to 68 deaths per 100,000 live births, and by 2002 the rate dropped down to 9 per 100,000. 

Recently, a federal judge in Texas ordered a hold on the federal approval of mifepristone by the FDA. Mifepristone is a drug that is commonly used in combination with misoprostol in medical abortions. It was claimed that the FDA approved mifepristone without fully considering the safety risks. Some are arguing that the approval of mifepristone put women at risk because chemical abortion drugs can cause serious and life threatening complications to the mother, however high risk pregnancies may pose the same risk, if not higher risk. If the ruling is the passed, FDA approval of mifepristone will be invalidated and mifepristone would become unavailable in the U.S. This creates even more barriers to abortion and miscarriage care, as it is also used to treat miscarriages, resulting in even worse health outcomes for pregnant patients. While abortions can also be done using only misoprostol, studies have found that the single drug regimen is not as effective in ending pregnancies compared to the combination treatment, and can lead to more complications. Additionally, mifepristone has other uses besides in abortions, and these patients can be affected by this ruling as well. 

https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/issue-brief/what-are-the-implications-of-the-overturning-of-roe-v-wade-for-racial-disparities/

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/10/health/abortion-ruling-pharma-executives.html#:~:text=A%20federal%20judge%20in%20Texas,for%20patients%20to%20obtain%20abortions.

https://www.npr.org/2022/05/14/1098306203/abortion-is-also-about-racial-justice-experts-and-advocates-say

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-bad-old-days-abortion_b_6324610

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/how-many-women-die-from-unsafe-abortions/ar-AAWTETi