Maternal Mortality Skyrockets in Texas Post-Abortion Ban: A Warning Sign for America

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Denis Jones receives a nonstress test during a prenatal appointment at the Oklahoma State University obstetrics and gynecology clinic in Tulsa, Okla., on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Mary Conlon)
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Texas has seen a significant surge in maternal deaths since the implementation of its abortion ban, raising questions and concerns about the impact of restrictions on women’s health. A recent analysis by the Gender Equity Policy Institute (GEPI) revealed that from 2019 to 2022, the rate of maternal mortality in Texas jumped by 56%.

That rise follows the state’s 2021 ban on abortion care. Texas’ legislature enacted Senate Bill 8 in September 2021, banning abortion as early as five weeks into pregnancy, well before the Supreme Court decided to overturn Roe v. Wade.

When it comes to Black women, who already faced higher risks, they saw their maternal mortality rates climb from 31.6 to 43.6 per 100,000 live births.

Doctors in Texas are reporting an increase in fear among pregnant women, and say requests for sterilization procedures have doubled.


Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @E_N_McMorris & @aurnonline.

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