Access to abortion is critical to economic security. When Americans have freedom to exercise their reproductive rights, they are more likely to find work or go to college, and their personal finances are on stronger footing. And since 2022, the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson has made it harder for Americans to exercise that right, while the Trump Administration has imposed further restrictions that impact people across the country, including in Maine.
Abortion access improves Americans’ economic security
A considerable amount of research demonstrates access to abortion, like other family planning tools, promotes economic security, particularly among women.
- One multi-year study of women seeking abortions around the 30-week cutoff date found women who were denied abortions were more likely to be living in poverty, less likely to be employed full-time, and more likely to receive public assistance as a result.
- Women in states with more restrictions on abortion are less likely to graduate college and suffer a series of financial hardships including being less able to pay their bills in full and more likely to face eviction.
- This even impacts men, who have been shown to be less likely to go to college in states with more restrictive abortion laws.
Dobbs created new financial hardships
The effect of the Dobbs ruling on abortion access has been mixed, with some studies showing the rate of abortion has actually increased since the ruling. However, even when Americans have been able to access abortion care, it has sometimes come at additional expense and personal risk. The number of Americans who have had to travel to another state to obtain an abortion doubled in the wake of the supreme court ruling, and those trips can cost patients thousands of dollars.
More restrictions could create hardships nationwide
So far, Mainers have largely been insulated from the impact of the Dobbs ruling. Maine lawmakers expanded the right to abortion here and created laws to shield Maine-based providers from prosecution from other states. In response to federal funding cuts for family planning services at organizations that also provide abortion care, the state has stepped up to provide funding. However, there are still threats on the horizon, including proposed bans on abortion medications like mifepristone and attacks on insurers that cover abortion care.