Aftershock: The Rippling Effects of Abortion Restrictions Across US Society

The Supreme Court decision to end federal abortion protections has brought a new era of gender inequality and systemic oppression, with far-reaching consequences. In this chapter, the authors explore the real implications of forced pregnancy, from the personal to the collective. Such topics explored include barriers for physicians to practice OB/GYN care, OB/GYN deserts, increased maternal mortality rates, increased childhood adverse events, increased poverty, increased criminalization of pregnancy outcomes, perpetuation of systemic racism and classism, concerns about digital surveillance and other privacy concerns, and negative impacts on medical research. Further discussed are the consequences to individuals based on the inability to control one’s reproductive decisions, which affect nearly every faction of a person’s life, including financial, professional, physical, mental/emotional, relational, educational, and logistical. Abortion bans also impact non-pregnant people with uteruses by restricting vital medications used to manage chronic pain and illness due to their potential alternative use as an abortifacient. The authors conclude by exploring what the “pro-life” movement is missing to “protect life,” including universal quality health care, paid parental leave and universal childcare, comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education and contraception, food security, funding for foster care and adoption, ending white supremacy and systematic racism, violence reduction, and more.