Life After Dobbs: An Investigation into Abortion Bans in America

Author: Batia Rabin

Field of Study: Social Sciences

Program Affiliation: Humanities Research Opportunities (HRO)

Faculty Mentors: Dara Silberstein

Easel: 49

Timeslot: Midday

Abstract: What are the impacts of overturning Roe v. Wade? What happens when abortion is no longer a constitutionally protected right? And how does that impact pregnant people and the medical professionals that care for them? This paper explores the far reaching medical and social consequences of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, by examining state laws on reproductive care, maternal healthcare deserts, maternal death rates, updated hospital guidelines, and population shifts. The author expects to find that the consequences of Dobbs are much more serious and insidious than anyone realized, with the social consequences being particularly problematic because they are less apparent and harder to notice at an individual level.