Study Finds Pro-Life Laws Boost Births in Arkansas and Beyond
A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) estimates more than 300 children were born in Arkansas in 2023 as a direct result of the state’s pro-life laws.
Since 2022, abortion in Arkansas has been generally prohibited except to save the life of the mother. It is also against the law to deliver abortion-inducing drugs like RU-486 into the state. Government data and news reports indicate some women from Arkansas may cross state lines for abortion, but so far there has been very little data estimating exactly how many children are alive today as a result of pro-life laws.
The JAMA study published in February reviewed abortion laws and birth rates from 2023 in all 50 states — including Arkansas. Researchers found the number of births were higher than expected in states that generally prohibited abortion.
Overall, the study estimated that at least 22,180 children across America were born in 2023 as a direct result of pro-life laws — including an estimated 325 children in Arkansas.
National Review analyzed the JAMA study, writing,
The JAMA study is unique because it is the first study that analyzes the impact of recent pro-life laws on different demographic groups. The study found that pro-life laws had a statistically larger impact on the fertility rates of unmarried women, African Americans, Hispanics, and women on Medicaid. The study also considered the impact of individual pro-life laws. Some state pro-life laws, such as the those enacted in Texas, had a larger impact than others. However, every abortion ban or heartbeat act was correlated with an increase in the state fertility rate. In short, every pro-life law that was analyzed saved lives.
As National Review notes in its analysis of the study, JAMA likely underestimated the number of children born as a result of pro-life laws. JAMA reviewed birth data in each state from 2012 to 2022, and then compared the number of births that were projected in 2023 with the number of children who were actually born. JAMA referred to these as “excess births.” The number of unborn children saved as a result of pro-life laws may be much higher than JAMA estimates.
The JAMA study underscores that pro-life laws save lives. We have written repeatedly about how many children in Arkansas are alive today simply because of informed-consent laws the state legislature enacted. Abortion hurts women and it kills unborn children. Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has reversed Roe v. Wade, states are free to restrict or prohibit abortion. Laws against abortion are saving the lives of unborn children. That’s something to celebrate.
Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.
