This research establishes a statistically significant connection between maternal mortality rates and abortion restrictions from a reproductive injustice perspective, integrating the theory of necropolitics. Using a time-series cross-sectional analysis of all 50 U.S. states from 2009 to 2019, this study highlights the impact of restrictive abortion policies during a period of intensified legislative activity, including pre-abortion counseling requirements, TRAP laws, and trigger laws. Data from the Guttmacher Institute's hostility scale and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation's maternal mortality statistics reveal that states with higher hostility toward abortion experienced increased maternal mortality. Notably, a 1% increase in state hostility is associated with a 0.45% rise in overall maternal mortality rates (p < 0.001). The analysis further demonstrates that each marginalized racial and ethnic group examined face heightened risks from higher abortion hostility, with maternal mortality rising among Hispanic women by 0.40% (p < 0.001); among non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native women increasing by 0.29% (p < 0.05); among non-Hispanic Asian, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacfic Islander women by 0.53% (p < 0.001); and non-Hispanic Black women by 0.39% (p < 0.001) per 1% increase in state hostility. However, the largest increase was found among non-Hispanic White women (p < 0.001). This study contributes to reproductive justice scholarship by incorporating a feminist and sociological perspective on the relationship between abortion restrictions and maternal mortality, particularly as moderated by race and ethnicity. The findings call for urgent policy interventions to dismantle systemic inequities in healthcare access, ensuring the protection of reproductive rights and the reduction of maternal mortality across all communities.

This study explores how abortion restrictions affect maternal mortality rates in the United States, focusing on the period between 2009 and 2019. It shows that stricter abortion laws, such as requirements for pre-abortion counseling, targeted regulations on abortion providers, and laws designed to ban abortion if federal protections are overturned, are linked to higher maternal death rates. States with more restrictive abortion policies had notable increases in maternal mortality, with even greater risks for certain racial and ethnic groups. For example, for every 1% increase in state-level hostility toward abortion, overall maternal mortality rose by 0.45%. The impact was pronounced for Hispanic women, non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native women, non-Hispanic Black women, and non-Hispanic Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander women. Among non-Hispanic White women, the increase was even greater. By examining the relationship between abortion restrictions and maternal health through a feminist and sociological lens, this research highlights systemic inequalities in healthcare access. The findings emphasize the need for policies that protect reproductive rights and improve maternal health outcomes for all communities, especially those historically underserved.

Master of Science