With the recent leak of Supreme Court documents that reveal a private vote against the decision made in Roe v. Wade, people throughout the country have been voicing their opinions on abortion. Democratic senators have called for the passage of bills that will protect a women’s right to abortion. With Senator Joe Manchin III of West Virginia opposing the bill, it no longer has the 60-vote majority required to be passed; making many panic about their wavering rights.
Many states, like Michigan, have promised to protect a women’s right to abortion. If Roe v. Wade is overturned, it will be up to states to decide on when or if women are able to receive abortions. Similar to Michigan, according to the Connecticut General Assembly: “Connecticut is one of four states that have enacted declarations affirmatively protecting a woman’s right to choose an abortion”. To make abortion more accessible, Connecticut has expanded the list of medical professionals who can provide abortions to include advanced practice registered nurses, nurse-midwives, and physician assistants. The attempts of some states to completely ban abortions becomes a danger to women, rather than the fetus they are attempting to protect.
The Turnaway Study conducted by Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health and completed in 2020, examines the impact of unwanted pregnancy on a woman’s life. The study claims “receiving an abortion does not harm the health and wellbeing of women, but in fact, being denied an abortion results in worse financial, health and family outcomes”.

Most abortion focused studies before The Turnaway Study discussed the mental, physical, and emotional toll from having an abortion, but few studies discussed the impact that an unwanted pregnancy or child will have on a woman who is forced to give birth.
In the first four years after a woman is refused an abortion, she is more likely to experience poverty than women who were able to abort an unwanted pregnancy. Pregnancy and birth will lead to women not having enough money for food, transportation, and housing. Eventually, this can lead to eviction and homelessness which ultimately makes it harder for women to succeed. The abortion ban will primarily impact poorer women who do not have the money or resources to receive an abortion in another state. Having a baby will increase the financial burden on women and poorer families who are not financially ready to have a child.
The impact of an unwanted pregnancy can prevent a woman from leaving an abusive relationship. “Physical violence from the man involved in the pregnancy decreased for women who received abortions” In a situation like this, an abuser may provide money, housing, or food to maintain control over their victim. A woman may be forced to give birth through threats, physical violence, or emotional abuse. They may choose to give birth in order to keep her partner, home, or control of their money. In addition to physical violence, partners are likely to leave after five years if the pregnancy goes to term. A lack of access to abortion can lead to an increase in domestic violence and single mothers.
Child also feel the impacts of unwanted pregnancy. When women are denied an abortion, her children are more likely to show decreased development, have an increased risk of living below the poverty line, and are more likely to have a decreased maternal bond. A study from the Journal of Community Medicine & Health Education states: “high levels of stress in early days postnatal are more likely to have neurodevelopmental delay in infants, behavioral problems and some levels of autism spectrum in children”. These problems can follow children into adulthood, leading to an increased risk of depression, anxiety, autism, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
The abortion ban will, of course, reduce abortions but will never fully end the practice. There will be unsafe and unsanitary practices used in place of abortion that puts women in danger. As of 2021, The World Health Organization has estimated that 4.7–13.2% of maternal deaths are caused by unsafe abortions. Over 5 million women face the long-term impact of unsafe abortions.
The abortion ban will not stop abortion, it will only increase the number of deaths from unsafe abortions. Women who need abortions will find a way around the abortion ban. The attempts to ban abortion will make life miserable and make abortion a major risk for women who do not want children.