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New research from Ohio State University reveals that infant mortality has surged by 7% in the 18 months following the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. This ruling led to near-total abortion bans in over a dozen states. Published in Jama Pediatrics, the study compared infant mortality data from before and after Roe's reversal, identifying a significant increase in deaths.

The study found an average of 247 additional infant deaths per month beyond what was expected. Particularly alarming was the 10% rise in mortality among infants with congenital anomalies, accounting for approximately 210 extra deaths monthly. These anomalies are often detected during pregnancy, and in states where abortion remains legal, many choose to terminate pregnancies when anomalies are life-incompatible. This option, however, is largely unavailable in states with stringent abortion bans.

Previous studies, including one from June, have highlighted similar trends. After Texas imposed a ban on abortions past six weeks of pregnancy, the number of infants who died within their first year rose by 13%. This study, led by Alison Gemmill of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, echoed concerns about the impact of abortion restrictions on infant mortality rates, especially among those born with severe congenital conditions.

The latest Ohio State University study did not provide a state-by-state breakdown of infant mortality rates. Nonetheless, the correlation between restrictive abortion laws and increased infant mortality underscores pressing public health concerns.

Further complicating the issue, stringent abortion bans have jeopardized pregnant women's health across the country. Cases like those of Amber Nicole Thurman and Candi Miller in Georgia highlight the fatal consequences of being denied medically necessary abortions under restrictive laws, such as Georgia's six-week abortion ban, as reported by ProPublica.

The research collectively paints a grim picture of the public health consequences following the dismantling of Roe v. Wade, illustrating both the immediate and broader impacts on maternal and infant health in the United States.