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Study Links Abortion Restrictions to Rising Maternal Deaths

2/17/2026

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Summary

Story summary

A study presented at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine shows that state-level abortion restrictions are linked to higher maternal death rates from 2005–2023.
Researchers analyzed data from nearly 22,400 deaths among pregnant women.
States with five or more restrictions had higher maternal mortality, with Medicaid funding bans and waiting periods among the key factors.
The findings are preliminary and await peer-reviewed publication.

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Story summary

A study presented at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine shows that state-level abortion restrictions are linked to higher maternal death rates from 2005–2023.
Researchers analyzed data from nearly 22,400 deaths among pregnant women.
States with five or more restrictions had higher maternal mortality, with Medicaid funding bans and waiting periods among the key factors.
The findings are preliminary and await peer-reviewed publication.