A recent study from The Ohio State University, published in JAMA Pediatrics, reports a concerning rise in the number of newborn deaths in the United States following a significant Supreme Court decision, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. This ruling, which removed a previously recognized constitutional right, seems to have led to serious unintended consequences that particularly affect newborns.
Researchers analyzed national data from the CDC’s Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research database, spanning from 2018 to 2023. They employed advanced statistical methods to determine if there were more infant deaths than expected after the Court’s decision. Their findings indicated significant increases in infant deaths overall and in infants born with health issues in several months following the decision. Specifically, there was a 7% overall increase in infant deaths, translating to approximately 247 excess deaths, and a 10% increase in deaths among infants with health issues, accounting for about 204 additional deaths.
This pattern of increased infant mortality mirrors trends observed in Texas after new state policies significantly restricted access to certain medical procedures. Texas noted a similar rise in infant mortality, especially among babies born with conditions that might not have been viable without intensive care. Following the Supreme Court’s decision, many states rapidly amended their laws, leading to more restrictive conditions that this study suggests could be detrimental to infant survival.
The study acknowledges limitations, including the use of provisional data for 2023, which might affect accuracy. Researchers expect that more precise data in the future will provide clearer insights and possibly establish a stronger link between state policies and newborn deaths.
This research underscores that decisions made by courts can have broad and profound impacts on public health, extending well beyond the legal and rights debates from which they originate. It highlights the need for careful consideration of policies that could adversely affect the health of mothers and their babies, urging a reevaluation of such measures as the nation continues to debate these crucial issues.
