Abortion Bans and Maternal Mortality Rates in U.S. States, 2018-2021

This paper seeks to understand the maternal health consequences of public policy decisions surrounding abortion care. To achieve this objective, this paper conducts an event study leveraging data from the Guttmacher Institute, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Census Bureau. First, it analyzes sociodemographic and policy differences between states that did and did not pass abortion bans between 2018 and 2021. Then, using a quasi-experimental event study model, it explores the dynamic treatment effects of adopting an abortion ban. Following this analysis, the study conducts placebo tests for robustness. This study finds that states that enacted abortion bans faced distinct economic and social challenges, such as higher rates of poverty, lower levels of educational attainment, and higher rates of residents without health insurance. When controlling for state demographic data, the results from the event study analysis find a positive relationship between abortion bans and maternal mortality, though this finding is not robust to placebo tests. While the results of the present study are not indicative of a causal treatment effect of abortion bans on maternal mortality, it is important to continue monitoring this relationship as additional data become available. • Maternal mortality increased across the U.S. from 2018-2021. • States that passed abortion bans face distinct economic and social challenges. • Black and southern communities are disproportionately impacted by maternal health challenges. • Future research should continue investigating the relationship between abortion bans and maternal mortality rates.