The expectation that the Supreme Court will abolish decades of federal protection of abortion rights highlights another issue. It is the lack of resources and support available to women to give birth and raise children.
If the Roe v. Wade case is overturned, more women living in states that do not have access to abortion could reach their term. Still, none of the 20 states that have legislation on books restricting access to abortion offer paid family leave.
Eight of them are opting to expand the coverage of Medicaid under the Medical Care Act for low-income Americans’ postnatal pregnancy.
When MississippiAt the heart of the imminent Supreme Court’s decision that the Abortion Restriction Act overturns the Roe v. Wade case is the state with the highest infant poverty rate, the lowest birth weight, and the highest infant mortality rate. It is one.
Are the 26 states certain? Prohibit abortion If Roe capsizes, according to the Guttmacher Institute. And in 13 states, there are “trigger laws” that enact bans shortly after the High Court’s ruling.
In the absence of constitutional protection, it is up to individual states to determine legality and access to abortion. And the state with the most restrictive policies is “also the state with the least impact on pregnant people and their children,” said Sara Rosen, director of the George Washington Center for Health Services Research Policy. Baum says.
Data provided in the Mississippi litigation Amikas Brief on behalf of the Jackson Women’s Health Organization prove that the 14 states with the most restrictive abortion legislation are “important and valuable for health and welfare.” It shows that we are the least invested in policies and programs: women, children, and families. “
An overview written by hundreds of public health scholars and experts, including the American Public Health Association, Guttmacher Institute, American Policy Center, and Rosenbaum, provides coverage of Medicaid, benefits of WIC eligibility, and poor families. Citing an analysis of the benefits of temporary support for. Early entry into prenatal care, infant mortality, low birth weight, infant poverty, and adversity childhood experience. We find that the majority of the 14 states are ranked in the lower half of the state for early entry into antenatal care, infant mortality, low birth weight, and at-risk children.
“You are forced to give birth to a child regardless of your personal circumstances, you do not have the right to take a vacation to give birth to that child, and you go to work to support you. You won’t have the support you need for your family. ” Senator Patty Murray of the Democratic Party of Washington told CBS News. Murray has long sought federal paid leave, and this moment is as Americans “begin to observe what this really means for them, their families, and their loved ones.” He said he hopes to stimulate support for the federal response.
The United States is one of the few countries that does not offer paid maternity leave. The Family and Medical Leave Act gives you up to 12 weeks of leave to take care of your baby, but there is no wage. According to the National Assembly of Parliament, only 10 states and the District of Columbia offer paid family leave.
The child tax credit, which expanded during the pandemic era, gave 35 million households up to $ 300 per person per month and expired in December. Efforts to expand credibility as part of the Biden administration’s “Build Back Better” law have not gained sufficient support within the president’s own party. The expiration of the tax credit is gain At the poverty rate of children.
The United States is far behind other wealthy developed countries in terms of childcare spending. According to an analysis by the New York Times, the United States spends 0.2% of its GDP on raising children under the age of two, which is equivalent to about $ 200 a year for tax-deductible families.
According to experts, if abortion protection is discontinued, low-income women and minority women will bear the burden as women with the means will have more time to travel to other states that provide access. You may stand. Access to mental health support is also important for postpartum women.
“These are the questions we are working on and no one knows the answer yet,” says Adrian Griffin, executive director of the Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance. She states that mental health problems are the most common complications of pregnancy and childbirth, and suicide and overdose are the leading causes of death in women in the first year of childbirth. Maternal mortality is three times higher for black women than for white women in the United States.
Supreme Court draft opinion threatens abortion protection Leak this week It suggests that Capitol Hill does not yet have a consensus on federal law to deal with some fallouts.
“It’s not entirely clear to me that we have to expand the welfare state to make Rho’s decision, it’s another conversation,” Pennsylvania Republican Senator Pat Toomey told CBS News. rice field.
Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley has offered a refundable tax credit of $ 6,000 for single parents and $ 12,000 for married parents with eligible children. “I think we need to have a very solid conversation about what we’re trying to do to help our families and help women in difficult situations,” Harley told CBS News. Told. “I hope I and others can say more about it soon.”
Senator Deb Fischer told CBS News that he would ask the government to implement her law to provide tax credits to companies offering paid leave.
But Republicans are very skeptical of the stronger federal response.
“There seems to be this theme run by the Republican Party. Do they care about their children after birth? The answer is, they are worth it. But there are many programs. The federal government isn’t the only safety net. Republican Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma told CBS News: “Obviously, many states are states because they vary from state to state. Help people. There is a perception that the only way is to mail the check. I don’t agree that it’s the only way. Do it. “
Other Republicans are obsessed with a state-based approach. South Dakota Republican Senator Mike Rounds told CBS News, “I don’t know if it will happen on a federal basis. You may see many people talking about changing benefits in each state. No, “he said. .. “I really believe that I’m not just saying that I’m outlawing abortion. I’m prolife. Prolife isn’t just about not having an abortion. It’s people making good decisions. And it also means helping to know there. It’s another option for those who are struggling during the most difficult times of their lives. ”
But the patchwork approach has to do with the Democratic Party. “I’m really worried that the quality of life of my family will continue to decline based on where you live,” Senator Chris Murphy of the Connecticut Democratic Party told CBS News. “In Connecticut, paid family leave, paid sick leave, and abortion are legal, and there are very few states, if any, with rights and support programs for families. What makes this country fundamentally different? I don’t think it’s a good thing. A series of experiences for women and families in each state. ”
Sarah Ewall-Wice contributed to this report.
Caitlin Huey-Burns
