The conversations and debates over reproductive rights in America have long been centered on abortion. However, the fight for reproductive justice extends far beyond access to abortion — it encompasses the full spectrum of reproductive health, including contraception, pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum care, and more.
Beyond the moral and political arguments, there is a profound lack of awareness about how these policies — shaped in Washington, state legislatures, and the courts — impact not only women’s health but also the economy, workforce, family structures, health care costs, and the well-being of future generations.
This is not just about personal choice; it is about national stability, economic sustainability, and the future of public health. If we continue to narrowly define reproductive care and ignore the dire consequences of inadequate services for women, we will see an escalating national crisis — one that threatens not only individual lives but also the country’s economic and health care systems as a whole.
Phase one: The wastelands of women’s health care
Even before the fall of Roe v. Wade, the United States was already in the midst of a reproductive health care crisis. Over 35% of counties nationwide qualify as maternity care deserts — areas with no hospitals providing obstetric care, no birthing centers, and no OB-GYNs available. Women in these regions face higher maternal and infant mortality rates, increased risks of preterm birth, and limited access to contraception and family planning services.
The looming policies of the new administration threaten to exacerbate this crisis. Proposed cuts to Medicaid expansion and nutritional support programs for low-income pregnant women could further restrict access to essential maternal health care. Research has shown that states with Medicaid expansion have significantly lower maternal mortality rates, while non-expansion states have higher rates of pregnancy-related deaths. Without these critical services, the health care gap between wealthy and low-income mothers will widen, worsening disparities in birth outcomes and long-term health for both mothers and children.
Phase two: The expansion of abortion bans and medication restrictions
With a conservative majority in the Supreme Court and anti-abortion activists emboldened, the current administration is expected to push policies that further restrict reproductive health care. The enforcement of the Comstock Act could ban the mailing of abortion pills nationwide, even in states where abortion remains legal. Meanwhile, Planned Parenthood faces further defunding, cutting off access to birth control, cancer screenings, and STI treatment.
In addition, there are growing challenges health care providers face in offering tele-health abortion services across state lines, particularly in states with restrictive abortion laws. As these laws evolve, tele-health providers are increasingly exposed to legal risks, leading to hesitation and a chilling effect on reproductive care delivery. A landmark case has already set a precedent: a New York-based doctor was criminally indicted in Louisiana for prescribing abortion pills to a patient in a state where abortion is banned. Legal experts predict this case will escalate to the Supreme Court, where a conservative majority could rule that states have the power to extend their abortion bans beyond their borders.
Phase three: The collapse of maternal and postpartum care
One of the most underreported consequences of banning abortion in the United States is how forced births will devastate maternal and postpartum care. The U.S. already has the highest maternal mortality rate among developed nations, and ongoing restrictions on reproductive health care will worsen outcomes for both mothers and children.
As more women are forced to carry high-risk pregnancies to term without adequate prenatal care, rates of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia and postpartum hemorrhaging will increase — leading to lifelong health complications and even death.
Maternal mental health is the primary complication associated with childbirth and one of the leading causes of maternal mortality in the United States, which will make the consequences even more severe. Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), which already affect 1 in 5 women — are projected to skyrocket as more women are forced into pregnancies they did not plan or cannot afford. Women with unintended pregnancies are twice as likely to experience postpartum depression at 12 months compared to those with intended pregnancies, even after adjusting for factors like age, poverty and education level. Additionally, the American Psychological Association reports that individuals who are denied abortions are more likely to experience higher levels of anxiety, lower life satisfaction, and lower self-esteem.
Catherine Birndorf, MD, a reproductive psychiatrist and founder of The Motherhood Center of New York, warns: "Whatever you believe about a woman's right to have an abortion, the irrefutable medical fact is that forced pregnancy — when a woman or girl becomes pregnant without seeking or desiring it, and abortion is denied, hindered, delayed or made difficult — will profoundly increase the number of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders in women and birthing people, also commonly known as postpartum depression.”
And it won’t just affect mothers — children born to mothers with untreated PMADs face a greater risk of developmental delays, emotional instability, behavioral and cognitive impairments, and higher rates of substance use disorder and economic hardship later in life. According to Dr. Birndorf, “When left untreated, PMADs not only impact mental health but also contribute to long-term physical illnesses that can lead to epigenetic changes that can affect women, their children, and their families for generations.”
Phase four: Economic fallout and the rising cost of inaction
The failure to invest in postpartum care is already destabilizing families, driving women out of the workforce, and creating long-term illness in mothers and children — consequences that will ripple across generations. As more mothers are forced to give birth without access to comprehensive reproductive health care, both mental and physical, the crisis will only deepen. Many will face long-term disability, chronic pain, or severe mental health struggles, making it difficult to return to work or care for their children. Household incomes will decline, workforce shortages will intensify, and reliance on government assistance will increase.
But the crisis will not end with mothers. Their children of women with untreated PMADS will face lifelong health consequences, requiring costly special education services, medical interventions, and mental health support. These challenges will persist across generations, compounding economic instability and widening health disparities.
Furthermore, without investment in proper postpartum care, hospitalization costs will soar from emergency room visits to inpatient stays — a crushing financial strain on hospitals, particularly in states that restrict reproductive health care but fail to invest in maternal health. Medicaid and social services will also need to absorb the rising financial strain of treating preventable postpartum conditions which can overwhelm both state and federal budgets.
A call to action: Reproductive health care is an economic imperative
The short and long-term consequences of restricting reproductive health care will ripple across this nation — from escalating education and welfare expenses to rising poverty and deteriorating maternal and infant health outcomes. States mandating births without ensuring postpartum health care funding will face deepening economic instability and widening health inequities.
This is no longer just a women’s health issue — it is an economic and public health emergency that demands immediate action. If policymakers fail to act now, the cost to our health care system, workforce and economy will be catastrophic. Investing in comprehensive reproductive care is not just a political choice; it is a national necessity.
