Abstract

Objectives. To examine the association of abortion bans with changes in maternal, pregnancy-related, and pregnancy-associated mortality.

Methods. Using national vital statistics data (2016–2023), we used a Bayesian panel model to examine maternal, pregnancy-related, and pregnancy-associated mortality in 14 US states that implemented abortion bans by the end of 2022. Models accounted for temporal trends and state-specific factors.

Results. Among the 14 states with abortion bans, there was some evidence of a potential 9.2% (95% credible interval [CI] = −1.6, 20.7) increase in the number of pregnancy-associated deaths above expectation, equivalent to 68 (95% CI = −13, 147) excess deaths; the rate was also higher than expected, with 3.3 (95% CI = −2.6, 9.0) additional deaths per 100 000 live births. Relative changes in pregnancy-related mortality were similar in magnitude but had greater uncertainty. There was no detectable increase in maternal mortality.

Conclusions. Abortion bans may be associated with an increase in pregnancy-associated and pregnancy-related mortality, although data limitations and chance variation in these rare outcomes constrain the certainty of these and other findings. (Am J Public Health. 2026;116(6):819–828. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2026.308465)