Stricter abortion laws may cause increased infant deaths − 2 maternal and child health researchers explain the data

Many babies born with severe birth defects die within the first few days or weeks of life. shironosov/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Infant mortality in the U.S. has increased by 7% since the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson U.S. Supreme Court decision overturned the constitutional right to abortion, according to an October 2024 study.

Those findings followed another study that reported a 12.7% rise in infant mortality in Texas after the implementation of Senate Bill 8, which bans abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected. Except for medical emergencies, the law effectively makes abortions illegal in the state after about five to six weeks’ gestation.