Infant mortality rates in the U.S. increased following the Supreme Court decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, according to researchers. About 80% of the additional deaths were suggested to be linked to congenital anomalies in the months after the decision.

The research indicates that barriers to prenatal care may result from abortion bans, leading to harmful spillover effects on infant health.

After the Dobbs decision in June 2022, approximately 0.38 additional infant deaths per 1,000 live births overall and 0.13 additional infant deaths per 1,000 live births with congenital anomalies occurred through 2023 compared with rates from 2018 to the ruling according to the report.