New study indicates thousands of poor women in Texas forced to carry to term
Researchers found SB8 disproportionately affected low-income people
The number of babies being born in Texas increased by nearly 10,000 after the Texas abortion ban that went into effect in 2021. The majority of those who had children were from the poor or low-income economic strata, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Alison Gemmill, assistant professor in the Bloomberg School’s Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health and one of the study’s lead authors explained the study’s relevance to the current debate in Texas about abortion.
“There has been a lot of speculation about how restrictive abortion policies will affect the number of babies being born. This research adds valuable information to that discussion,” Gemmill said. “Although our study doesn't detail why these extra births occurred, our findings strongly suggest that a considerable number of pregnant individuals in Texas were unable to overcome barriers to abortion access.”
Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health estimate that a Texas abortion ban led to 9,799 additional live births in the state between April and December 2022, according to a news release for the study.
The measure, Texas Senate Bill 8, banned abortions as early as five weeks after the start of a patient’s last menstrual cycle—effectively banning abortion in the state, with very limited exceptions. Previously, Texas had allowed abortions up to 22 weeks gestation for any indication.
Going forward, the researchers will explore how the Texas law may have disproportionately impacted certain demographic groups when detailed birth data become available in the coming months.
The study’s findings highlight how abortion bans have real implications for those who are pregnant, said Suzanne Bell, Ph.D., MPH, assistant professor in the Bloomberg School’s Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health and one of the study’s lead authors
“Thousands of whom may have had no choice but to continue an unwanted or unsafe pregnancy to term,” Bell said. “Notably, the majority of people who seek abortions live below or close to the poverty line. So many of these birthing people and their families were likely struggling financially even before the recent birth.”