Study links spike in infant deaths to Texas abortion ban

Infant deaths surged 12.9% in Texas compared with 1.8% for the rest of the country after the state in 2021 enacted a strict abortion ban with no exceptions for birth defects, according to a new study in JAMA Pediatrics.

Why it matters: The findings add to a body of evidence showing infants born in states with more abortion restrictions are likelier to die before they're 1 year old.

What they found: The analysis of monthly death certificate data showed that between 2021 and 2022 the number of infant deaths increased by 255, from 1,985 to 2,240.

The state's infant mortality rate also increased by 8.3% over that time, compared with 2.2% for the rest of the U.S. — an indication that the rise in infant deaths wasn't entirely due to an increase in the number of births.