Implications for racial inequities in maternal health if Roe v Wade is lost

Abstract

Unsafe abortion contributes substantially to maternal deaths worldwide in countries where safe abortions are not accessible.1 Despite the harms of unsafe abortion, the US Supreme Court draft opinion on Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization showed that the court aims to overturn Roe v Wade and almost 50 years of precedent and the right to safe abortion in the USA.2 If this decision goes into effect, up to 28 states with trigger laws in place, or intentions of passing restrictive legislation, would make abortion effectively illegal and inaccessible.