The relationship between state-level abortion policy and maternal mortality in the United States: a scoping review

The United States has a high rate of maternal mortality compared to similar countries. Following the overturning of Roe v. Wade and federal protections to abortion, multiple US states have adopted new policies related to legal abortion access. No published scoping or systematic reviews have comprehensively examined existing literature related to state-level abortion policy and maternal mortality in the United States. This study seeks to assess the extent of evidence on the relationship between state-level abortion policy and maternal mortality in the United States.

The scoping review is guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology and had no publication date restriction to capture pre- and post-Roe v. Wade studies.

Ten articles met inclusion criteria, with years of analysis from 1959 to 2020. Studies consistently found that restrictive abortion policies are associated with increases in maternal mortality at the state level. Limitations with the ability to compare findings across studies should be considered.

Across published studies, policies that restrict access to abortion are consistently associated with increases in maternal mortality, underscoring the significant impact of policy decisions on maternal health outcomes. Future research with updated policy and health outcomes data is needed as the policy landscape evolves.