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Thousands of People Are Leaving Abortion-Ban States, Study Shows

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Jan 13, 2025.

By India Edwards HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Jan. 10, 2025 -- States with strict abortion bans are losing residents, particularly younger people, which could have long-term economic implications.

In the wake of the Supreme Court's 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, a recent analysis published by the National Bureau of Economic Research shows that the 13 states with total abortion bans collectively lost roughly 36,000 residents per quarter.

That is the net difference between people leaving versus those moving into these states, a news release from CBS News shows.

The analysis used U.S. Postal Service change-of-address data and found that single-person households were most likely to move, suggesting younger individuals are, in fact, leaving abortion-ban states.

Families may face more challenges when moving, such as changing schools or uprooting their careers.

Access to abortion isn't just a cultural issue -- it has far-reaching economic consequences.

The study authors note that younger workers are vital to state economies, and having them leave could impact growth and development.

“Employers in states with bans may face challenges in attracting and retaining workers, especially younger workers, which could impact economic growth,” the researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology and The College of Wooster wrote in an email to CBS.

If the trend continues, states with abortion bans could lose nearly 1% of their population over five years, the researchers concluded.

Many states with abortion bans also rank poorly in providing adequate safety nets, according to an Associated Press analysis. Challenges range from accessing food stamps or SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program formerly known as food stamps) to shortages or maternal care.

For example, Tennessee extended postpartum Medicaid coverage from 6 months to a year in 2022, benefiting 3,000 more mothers annually. However, the state continues to struggle with enrollment in maternal support programs and lacks paid family leave, per an October study published in the American Journal of Public Health.

Other abortion-ban states, such as Alabama, face similar issues.

A KFF survey found that nearly half of women with young children in abortion-ban states reported difficulty accessing services like SNAP, compared with 3 in 10 states with abortion access.

"People who claim to be pro-life, who advocated for these abortion bans, often suggest that these policies are designed to protect children, women and families," Dr. Nigel Madden, assistant professor at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and lead author of the AJPH study, told CBS News.

But lack of an adequate safety net shows "the hypocrisy of that argument," Madden concluded.

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted January 2025

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