Document Type
Paper
Abstract
Prior to the 2022 Dobbs decision, Black women already experienced negative maternal health outcomes at an alarmingly disparate rate in comparison to White women. Given that the Dobbs decision emboldens state power to enforce abortion restrictions or protections, there has been significant strides made in both directions. Nonetheless, within states where reproductive rights have been significantly eroded, the heightened abortion restrictions may compound the limited access that Black women previously had before Dobbs. This, in turn will exacerbate the already disparate negative maternal outcomes that Black women experience. However, research on the relationship between the lack of access to abortion and negative health outcomes is mixed. Using a systematic review of the literature, this study set out to investigate whether, how, and why Black women disproportionately experience negative health consequences resulting from lack of access to abortion relative to their white counterparts. A majority of the studies included in our review show that Black women’s maternal mortality and morbidity increase at a higher rate compared to that of White women when access to abortion is restricted. Restricted abortion access disproportionately harms Black women’s maternal health outcomes.
Recommended Citation
Frye, Lacy M. and Odhiambo, Calvin
(2024)
"Health Consequences of Racial Disparity in Access to Abortion: A Systematic Review,"
University of South Carolina Upstate Student Research Journal: Vol. 18, Article 2.
Available at:
https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/uscusrj/vol18/iss1/2
Included in
Gender and Sexuality Commons, Health Law and Policy Commons, Health Policy Commons, Inequality and Stratification Commons, Law and Gender Commons, Medicine and Health Commons, Obstetrics and Gynecology Commons, Race and Ethnicity Commons, Social Justice Commons, Women's Health Commons