Published: 30-12-2020 12:19 | Updated: 30-12-2020 15:26

Study shows how access to legal and safe abortion reduces morbidity

Improvements in non-mortal health outcomes flowing from legal access to abortion. Foto: Pixabay
Study shows how access to legal and safe abortion reduces morbidity. Photo: Pixabay

Study shows that the legalization of abortion in Mexico City shows how access to legal and safe abortion reduces abortion-related morbidity such as bleeding.

Hanna Mühlrad
Hanna Mühlrad Postdoctor Photo: Karl Gabor

We examine the impact of progressive and regressive abortion legislation on women's health in Mexico. Following a 2007 reform in the Federal District of Mexico which decriminalised and subsidised early-term elective abortion, multiple other Mexican states increased sanctions on illegal abortion. We observe that the original legalisation resulted in a sharp decline in maternal morbidity, particularly morbidity due to haemorrhage early in pregnancy. We observe small or null impacts on women's health from increasing sanctions on illegal abortion. These results quantify the considerable improvements in non-mortal health outcomes flowing from legal access to abortion.

Link to publication: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167629620310596?via…

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Hanna Mühlrad

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Hanna Mühlrad Affiliated to Research