Study finds abortion restrictions may increase health risks for pregnancies conceived through fertility treatment.
Research from Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) suggests laws restricting access to abortion could increase health complications for people who use fertility treatments to get pregnant.
The study, published in JAMA Health Forum, looked at the impact of targeted regulations on abortion providers – known as TRAP laws – on maternal and newborn health outcomes.
Researchers found that states with these restrictions had worse outcomes for pregnancies conceived through fertility treatment compared with states without such laws.
People facing infertility already face higher risks during pregnancy and childbirth, including heavy bleeding, gestational diabetes and stillbirth. The OHSU team wanted to see how limited access to reproductive healthcare in some states might add to these risks.
Molly Kornfield, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at OHSU and lead author of the study, said: ‘People with highly planned and desired pregnancies may not be who we typically think of when we discuss the impacts of abortion restrictions, but their health and safety are being considerably impacted.’
She added that the findings ‘prove what we already know: abortion restrictions don’t exist in a vacuum – they affect everyone who needs reproductive healthcare.’
The study analysed maternal and neonatal data from more than 400,000 births conceived through fertility treatment between 2012 and 2021. Researchers found a significant increase in serious maternal complications, including blood transfusions, intensive care admissions, unplanned hysterectomy and uterine rupture.
The causes are complex, the team said, and may include clinic closures, providers leaving restrictive states and an ongoing shortage of obstetricians and gynaecologists.
The findings are already influencing how doctors advise patients. Researchers may recommend extra caution when travelling during pregnancy, particularly for people who face barriers in accessing care, including people of colour, immigrants and LGBTQ+ individuals.
Samuel Melville, a resident physician at OHSU and co-author of the study, said: ‘We’re lucky to be living and practicing in Oregon, where we’re able to offer evidence-based, full-scope reproductive health care, but sadly this isn’t the case in so many areas.
‘If we want to truly support the health of children and families, we need to acknowledge that safe reproduction includes abortion care.’
The study can be read in full here.
Image: Jasmine/UnSplash
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