A State-Level Analysis of Abortion Provision and Female Life Expectancy Profiles

Jacob Souch, UTSA
Jeralynn Cossman, University of Texas at San Antonio

Women’s health, particularly reproductive health, remains a complex and persistent issue influenced by state policies, socioeconomic factors, and demographic characteristics. Although abortion is a common procedure in the U.S. often due to unintended pregnancies, there is limited literature on how legal abortion provision impacts life expectancy and health outcomes. This study addresses this gap by examining state-level differences in abortion provision by age group and their associations with female life expectancy. Existing literature highlights the importance of abortion access in addressing obstetric challenges, especially for women over 35. We hypothesize that (1) states with a higher proportion of abortions among women aged 35 and older will demonstrate greater female life expectancy, and (2) states with a higher proportion of abortions among women under 15 will show poorer life expectancy outcomes. By analyzing data from the Kaiser Family Foundation and the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) for 2021, and OLS regression models, this study aims to elucidate these relationships. Preliminary findings suggest significant negative correlations between life expectancy and abortions among younger women, and positive correlations with abortions among older women. Understanding these associations could provide critical insights into addressing disparities in women’s health outcomes and inform policies to improve reproductive health care across the life course.

Keywords: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Census data, Health and Morbidity, Family Planning and Contraception

See extended abstract.