The Turnaway Study released new findings on the socioeconomic consequences of being denied a wanted abortion. We find that being denied a wanted abortion has serious economic consequences that last for years after birth. The paper, published in the American Journal of Public Health, finds that being denied a wanted abortion, compared with being able to obtain abortion care, results in a significant increase in household poverty; a reduction in full-time employment; an increase in public assistance that persists until women are timed out of these programs; an increased likelihood that women don’t have enough money to pay for food, housing and transportation; and, finally, an increased chance that women are raising children alone—without male partners or family.
Learn more about the findings in “Socioeconomic outcomes of women who receive and women who are denied wanted abortions.” Our infographic and issue brief (English or Spanish) also provide useful summaries of these important results.
The Turnaway Study is ANSIRH’s prospective longitudinal study examining the effects of unintended pregnancy on women’s lives. The major aim of this unique study was to describe the mental health, physical health, and socioeconomic consequences of receiving an abortion compared to carrying an unwanted pregnancy to term. Learn more about the Turnaway Study here and see our annotated bibliography for a full list of publications from the Turnaway Study.