Mental Health Implications of Abortion Restrictions for Historically Marginalized Populations

This article examines the mental health implications of abortion restrictions for historically marginalized populations, including Black, Latina, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, and low-income individuals, following the U.S. Supreme Court's Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision. It highlights how structural racism, reproductive injustice, and preexisting mental health conditions intersect to exacerbate disparities. Research shows that abortion denial is linked to increased stress and anxiety, while abortion itself does not harm mental health. Marginalized groups, already overrepresented among abortion seekers, face heightened risks of maternal mortality, intimate partner violence, and criminalization due to restrictive laws. The article underscores the urgent need for equitable reproductive health policies to mitigate these harms.

This article examines the mental health implications of abortion restrictions for historically marginalized populations, including Black, Latina, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, and low-income individuals, following the U.S. Supreme Court's Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision. It highlights how structural racism, reproductive injustice, and preexisting mental health conditions intersect to exacerbate disparities. Research shows that abortion denial is linked to increased stress and anxiety, while abortion itself does not harm mental health. Marginalized groups, already overrepresented among abortion seekers, face heightened risks of maternal mortality, intimate partner violence, and criminalization due to restrictive laws. The article underscores the urgent need for equitable reproductive health policies to mitigate these harms.