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Published on: February 3, 2026
State-Level Abortion Bans and the OBGYN Workforce: A Review of Current Evidence
Julia Strasser1, Kavita Arora2,3,4, Anitra Beasley5
1Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity, George Washington University, Washington, DC.
JAMA Health Forum
|May 15, 2026
Summary
The Dobbs decision impacts the OBGYN workforce, causing moral distress and burnout, despite minimal physician migration. Training programs face challenges ensuring abortion care education for OBGYN trainees in restrictive states.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Medical Ethics
- Healthcare Policy
Background:
- The US Supreme Court's Dobbs decision in June 2022 significantly altered abortion access across states.
- Abortion bans have created challenges for critically ill pregnant patients seeking care and for OBGYN practitioners attempting to provide standard care.
- Uncertainty surrounding medical exceptions in state abortion laws has led to concerns about patient outcomes and physician practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the impact of abortion policy restrictions on the Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN) workforce post-Dobbs.
- To analyze OBGYN workforce movement, work-related stressors, and training program changes in response to abortion bans.
- To understand the ongoing effects of the post-Dobbs abortion policy environment on OBGYN providers and patient care.
Main Methods:
- Review of published research on OBGYN workforce impacts following the Dobbs decision.
- Analysis of data concerning state-level OBGYN physician movement.
- Examination of studies on moral distress, mental health, and burnout among OBGYN practitioners in states with abortion restrictions.
Main Results:
- National data indicate minimal movement of OBGYN physicians between states with differing abortion policies.
- OBGYN physicians in states with abortion restrictions report significant moral distress, adverse mental health effects, sleep disruption, and burnout.
- OBGYN trainees express concern about starting residencies in states with abortion bans, and training programs face challenges ensuring comprehensive abortion training.
Conclusions:
- The OBGYN workforce is under considerable strain more than three years after the Dobbs decision.
- Abortion policy restrictions significantly affect OBGYN practitioners' well-being and ability to provide standard care.
- Understanding these impacts is critical for ensuring continued access to essential reproductive and gynecological healthcare for patients.
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