Abortion bans led to higher preterm birth rates among Black women, study finds

By: Nada Hassanein

Outlets: Stateline

Published: March 18, 2026

Words: 571

Last Updated: 2 days, 17 hours ago

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Black women living in states with abortion bans were more likely to have preterm babies, compared with what would be expected in the absence of those bans, according to a study published in this month’s issue of the American Journal of Public Health.

A lack of timely prenatal care can increase the risk of preterm births. Because important development still occurs later in pregnancy, babies born too early, especially before 32 weeks, have higher …

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