Abortion bans in the United States are exacerbating existing health disparities as births increase in high-risk populations and infant mortality rises disproportionately, new research suggests.

States that implemented abortion bans had an estimated 0.33 additional infant deaths per 1,000 live births above the expected rate of 5.93 (observed 6.26), or a relative 5.60% increase in the infant mortality rate above expectation.

Two studies found that infant mortality and births increased in most states with abortion bans after the Dobbs ruling.