Texas Law Saved Nearly 10,000 Babies From Abortion Over 9-month Period, Study Shows

Pro-life demonstrators gather outside Planned Parenthood in Houston on June 24, 2022. Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP

Nearly 10,000 additional babies were born in Texas over a nine-month period following the state’s ban on most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

The peer-reviewed analysis, published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association, evaluated the number of live births versus the expected birth counts after Texas Senate Bill 8, also known as the Heartbeat Act, took effect Sept. 1, 2021.

The researchers calculated an expected 287,289 live births in Texas from April to December, but the actual number of babies born was 297,088.

“We estimated that the SB 8 Policy was associated with 9,799 additional births in Texas between April and December 2022,” the authors wrote.

Texas Values Director of Policy Jonathan Covey said the Johns Hopkins study, along with other data his organization has gathered, shows momentum in the pro-life movement in Texas.

“I think it really shows the progress of our movement over the last year,” Mr. Covey told The Epoch Times. “It’s a blessing that I’m starting to see lives saved through this [change in the law].”

Texas Values is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has been at the forefront of the movement to save babies from abortion.

Study Methodology

While a drop in abortions would be expected, as well as an increase in births following the abortion restrictions, the extent to which this would occur is unknown.

Using statistical modeling based on historical birth data from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, the researchers established trends in birth rates prior to SB 8, which they compared to the actual number of births reported after the law went into effect. The study captured women who were at least seven weeks pregnant when the law was enacted.

“Additionally, results cannot be generalized because the analysis was restricted to [one] state,” the authors noted.

In a press release, the researchers alleged that the babies were born because many women could not “overcome the barriers” of the Heartbeat Act.

“There has been a lot of speculation about how restrictive abortion policies will affect the number of babies being born. This research adds valuable information to that discussion,” said Alison Gemmill, one of the lead authors in the study, in a statement.

“Although our study doesn’t detail why these extra births occurred, our findings strongly suggest that a considerable number of pregnant individuals in Texas were unable to overcome the barriers to abortion access,” she said.

What Else Did Researchers Find?

Texas saw an estimated 3 percent overall increase in babies born during the first nine months after SB 8 went into effect. The largest increase observed was in the month of December, with 1,674 additional births, or 5 percent above the estimated 32,913.

The study authors noted that despite an increase in women seeking out-of-state abortions and requests for abortion medication, the number of actual births was “greater than expected.”

In the first month after SB 8, there was a 38 percent drop in facility-based abortions provided to Texas women in the state or an adjacent state.

“Every baby saved from an elective abortion should be celebrated,” John Seago, president of Texas Right for Life, told the Texas Tribune. “This new study highlights the significant success of our movement in the last two years, while we look forward to helping the mothers and families of our state care for their children.

In June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, overturning Roe v. Wade and returning the power back to the states to determine abortion laws.

The ruling also triggered House Bill 1280, a Texas law that went into effect 30 days after the Supreme Court issued its official judgment in Dobbs. The measure, which passed in 2021, makes it a first-degree felony to provide an abortion in Texas except when the mother’s life is in danger.

Texas is one of 14 states that have enacted a ban on abortion since the Supreme Court decision.

‘Alternatives to Abortion’ Program

The Texas Legislature approved $140 million over the next two years for the Alternatives to Abortion program, an increase of $40 million over the amount appropriated in the 2021 budget cycle.

The program provides assistance for mothers and fathers who need help dealing with pregnancy or adoption services.

“The Alternatives to Abortion program helps women with clothing, rent, housing, food, transportation, and all sort of things so they can keep their babies,” Mr. Covey said.

Support is offered through pregnancy centers, maternity homes, and adoption agencies across the state. Mothers and fathers can access classes on pregnancy, parenting, budgeting, and job training, among other services.

Help is available for at least three years after the birth of a baby.

In another effort to assist mothers, Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law a measure that extends Medicaid postpartum coverage from 60 days to a full year after the birth of a child (pdf).

“In a post-Dobbs era, the Texas Senate and House have directed significant resources to the health of women, mothers, and children with appropriations nearing $1 billion,” Republican state Sen. Lois Kolkhorst wrote in a statement to Spectrum News in June. “HB 12 was passed to focus on the health of mothers, improving maternal mortality outcomes and is a natural continuum of Texas’ commitment to the pro-life support of maternal health.”

Mr. Covey believes Texas will continue taking the steps necessary to ensure that every mother has the support they need during pregnancy and after the birth of their baby.

“I think that after 5o years of fighting since Roe, I think there’s no doubt now that we have a compelling interest in protecting the unborn child,” he said. “Roe stole from the American people ... the right to protect not only the dignity of women but also human life. It caused the loss of over 60 million lives. And each and every one of them was invaluable. I look forward to seeing what happens in the future.”

There are about 200 pregnancy centers across the state of Texas. If you or someone you know needs assistance with their pregnancy, contact the Texas Pregnancy Care Network at 877-345- 7734 to find services near you.