Infant deaths jumped in Texas after abortion ban

What happened

Infant deaths in Texas rose by 12.8% after the state banned almost all abortions in 2021, versus 1.8% nationwide, researchers said Monday in the journal JAMA Pediatrics. Deaths attributed to birth defects jumped 22.9% in Texas while dropping 3.1% in the rest of the country.

Who said what

The findings "add to a body of evidence showing infants born in states with more abortion restrictions are likelier to die before they're 1 year old," Axios said. "Behind these numbers are people" who "had to stay pregnant for an additional 20 weeks, carrying a pregnancy that they knew likely wouldn't result in a live newborn baby," Dr. Erika Werner at Tufts Medical Center said to NBC News.

A spokesperson for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said "thousands of children have been given a chance at life" thanks to the 2021 ban. 

What next?

When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, "the anti-abortion movement won the battle," Charles Sykes said at The Atlantic. "But it may be in the process of losing the war," with an entire generation "watching the indifference and cruelty toward women and wondering whether this movement really is 'pro-life.'"

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