Alabama keeps trying to ban abortion but refuses to help new moms

By Lisa Needham -December 3, 2020 2:36 PM

Maternal mortality is sky-high in Alabama — and it's mostly preventable.

A recent review of maternal mortality in Alabama found that many of the deaths were entirely preventable. One of the ways to fix this, the report noted, was ensuring access to a broad range of women's health services, including contraceptives and abortion care.

The Alabama Department of Public Health, along with the Alabama Maternal Mortality Review Committee, examined all maternal mortality deaths in the state for 2016. An overwhelming majority — nearly 70% — of the pregnancy-associated or pregnancy-related deaths could have been prevented.

Regrettably, it isn't surprising that Alabama has poor maternal health outcomes, including death. While the state has done a great deal to restrict abortion, it has done very little to foster women's health.

When it comes to supportive policies — policies that help ensure good health outcomes for women and families — Alabama has very few. That's in keeping with other states which restrict abortion rights: the more restrictions a state imposes, the less it has laws that support maternal and child health.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.

https://americanindependent.com/alabama-abortion-ban-maternal-mortality-womens-health-care-contraception/