This $363,663 Project Grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), under the Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.865), will fund research on the impacts of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization Supreme Court decision on fertility, maternal health, and infant health outcomes over time.
The research will use high-quality, state-level data to evaluate the effects of the post-Dobbs abortion restrictions in states that have banned or severely limited access to safe abortion services. The study aims to determine the causal impact on fertility rates, severe maternal morbidity, and infant birth outcomes such as preterm birth and low birthweight. A comparative interrupted time series approach with control locations will be used to establish a strong counterfactual and account for recent trends and perturbations. The research will also examine how these policy changes may differentially impact disadvantaged populations. Results will inform reproductive health policies in affected states.