Infant deaths jumped in Texas after abortion ban

What happened

Infant deaths in Texas rose by 12.8% after the state banned almost all abortions in 2021, versus 1.8% nationwide, researchers said Monday in the journal JAMA Pediatrics . Deaths attributed to birth defects jumped 22.9% in Texas while dropping 3.1% in the rest of the country.

Who said what

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," Axios said. "Behind these numbers are people" who "had to stay pregnant for an additional 20 weeks, carrying a pregnancy that they knew likely wouldn't result in a live newborn baby," Dr. Erika Werner at Tufts Medical Center said to NBC News .

A spokesperson for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said "thousands of children have been given a chance at life" thanks to the 2021 ban.

What next?

When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, "the anti-abortion movement won the battle," Charles Sykes said at The Atlantic . "But it may be in the process of losing the war," with an entire generation "watching the indifference and cruelty toward women and wondering whether this movement really is 'pro-life.'"