Maternal Health Implications of Overturning Roe v. Wade in the United States

The 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade by the U.S. Supreme Court has profound implications for maternal health in the United States, exacerbating existing disparities in maternal mortality, particularly among Black American women and all women of color. With the rollback of federal abortion protections, numerous states have implemented restrictive abortion laws, leading to reduced access to safe and timely care. Women who are marginalized and historically excluded, especially women of color who already face disproportionately higher rates of maternal mortality compared to their White counterparts, are particularly vulnerable to the consequences of these restrictions. The decision to limit access to abortion exacerbates these challenges, and women are more likely to be forced into carrying high-risk pregnancies to term, further increasing their risk of maternal mortality.