1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

The devastating consequences of banning abortion are already unfolding across the United States. A study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology found that a total abortion ban would lead to a 24% increase in pregnancy-related deaths. With Roe v. Wade overturned, multiple states have enacted extreme abortion bans, endangering the lives of countless women and birthing people. Maternal mortality rates in the U.S. are already the highest among wealthy nations, disproportionately impacting Black and Indigenous communities. Abortion bans will only exacerbate this crisis, potentially causing thousands of preventable deaths each year. Alarmingly, Republican lawmakers are seeking to conceal data on maternal deaths resulting from abortion restrictions, obscuring the fatal consequences of their policies and hiding how many maternal deaths they have caused. Urgent action is needed to protect reproductive rights and safeguard access to essential healthcare for all. We cannot allow ideological agendas to supersede medical expertise and human rights.