Evidence indicates many wealthier people have been able to travel to terminate pregnancies, contributing to increases in abortions despite bans. However, people who are poor, nonwhite and live in Southern states also now bear higher infant deaths and increased births because they lack access to abortion services.

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.

JAMA, show that states that enforced complete or near-total abortion bans after six weeks of pregnancy saw a 6% overall rise in infant death rates. That added up to 478 more infant deaths than expected based on previous trends.