A new study from the University of Michigan highlights how state abortion bans disproportionately impact American Indian, Alaska Native, and Black women’s access to reproductive health services.
Researchers analyzed data from the Guttmacher Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, finding significant racial and ethnic disparities in abortion rates. American Indian and Alaska Native women had the highest abortion rates at 14.8 per 1,000 women aged 15-44, followed by Black women at 11.9 per 1,000.
“These higher rates likely reflect systemic barriers to contraceptive access and use,” said lead author Alyssa Tilhou, a graduate student in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Michigan Medicine.
The study revealed that 26 states currently ban most abortions, and 9 of those states have large proportions of American Indian, Alaska Native, or Black populations. Tilhou warned that abortion restrictions in these states could exacerbate existing health disparities for minority women.
Co-author Dr. Michelle Moniz, an obstetrician-gynecologist at Michigan Medicine, emphasized the need for policymakers to consider the disproportionate impact of abortion bans on marginalized communities when crafting legislation.
See “State abortion bans may unequally affect American Indian, Alaska Native, Black women” (May 2, 2024)
