The liberal narrative that overturning Roe v. Wade and implementing new restrictions on abortion would not make a significant difference has been proven wrong.
The left argued that these changes would merely drive women to seek abortions in other states, resort to abortion pills or even undergo illegal procedures, potentially endangering their lives. However, the reality is that these changes have not led to an increase in unsafe abortions. Instead, they have resulted in the preservation of 22,000 lives.
According to the Western Journal, this figure was derived from a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in February. The research sought to determine whether the adoption of complete or 6-week abortion bans was associated with changes in fertility rates. The study, which utilized birth certificate and U.S. Census Bureau data from 2012 through 2023 for all 50 states and the District of Columbia, found that there were an estimated 1.01 additional births per 1,000 females aged 15 through 44 years in states that adopted abortion bans. This equates to 22,180 excess births.
However, the authors of the study did not celebrate this increase in births. Instead, they highlighted that the largest estimated differences were among racially minoritized individuals, those without a college degree, Medicaid beneficiaries, unmarried individuals, younger individuals, and those in southern states. This interpretation implies that the lives of individuals from these groups are less valuable, a notion that is fundamentally flawed and deeply troubling.
Kate Quiones of the Catholic News Agency offered a more accurate interpretation of the study's findings, stating, "Pro-life policies save lives, study finds." This sentiment was echoed by pro-life expert Michael New, a senior associate scholar at the Charlotte Lozier Institute and assistant professor of practice at the Busch School of Business at The Catholic University of America. New argued that the most accurate way to analyze the impact of pro-life laws is through birth data, as abortion data tracking varies by state and illegal abortions are not counted.
New further explained that while some women may circumvent pro-life laws by obtaining abortions in other states, other countries, or through mail-order chemical abortion pills, the increase in births following the implementation of pro-life laws is powerful statistical evidence that more unintended pregnancies are being carried to term. He added that this likely undercounts the lives saved to some extent, as the study only considers abortion bans and heartbeat acts, not additional post-Dobbs gestational age limits.
The fact that a legal move has saved 22,000 lives should be celebrated. However, because this achievement is associated with the pro-life stance of the Trump administration and the conservative fight against Roe v. Wade, it has been met with resistance from liberals.
The study's finding that the largest estimated differences were among racially minoritized individuals, those without a college degree, Medicaid beneficiaries, unmarried individuals, younger individuals, and those in southern states should be seen as a victory for the preservation of life, not a point of contention.
The fact that 22,000 of the most defenseless among us were spared is a testament to the importance of the pro-life movement and the ongoing fight against abortion. The hope is that this number will continue to grow, saving even more lives in the future.
Login