Abortion Bans Put Women’s Lives at Risk

In 2025, Adriana Smith was declared brain dead during her pregnancy and was put on life support due to Georgia’s abortion laws, which grant fetuses personhood. The law bans abortion once cardiac activity can be detected—typically around six weeks, often before many women even know they are pregnant (Guttmacher Institute). This case raised serious concerns about how strict abortion bans affect life-threatening medical situations. Ultimately, Adriana Smith died, sparking public outrage and debate. As her family member Newkirk stated, “I’m not saying that we would have chosen to terminate her pregnancy, but what I’m saying is, we should have had a choice.” This highlights a critical issue: abortion bans can remove essential medical decision-making from families and doctors.

It has been three years since Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which eliminated the federal constitutional right to abortion and shifted authority to individual states. Since then, access to abortion has become increasingly restricted. Currently, 13 states enforce total abortion bans, while many others impose strict gestational limits. In total, 41 states have some form of abortion restriction (Guttmacher Institute). These policies have placed significant pressure on women across the United States and raised concerns about safety, including rising maternal mortality rates and an increase in unsafe, self-managed abortions.

One major reason abortion should remain accessible nationwide is the risk of maternal mortality. In states with strict abortion bans, women face significantly higher risks during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum recovery. For example, Texas has seen dramatically higher maternal mortality rates compared to states like California. According to Maternal Mortality in the United States After Abortion Bans, “In 2023, Texas’s maternal mortality rate was 155 percent higher than California’s. Latina mothers in Texas faced nearly triple the risk, while white mothers faced more than double the risk” (Commonwealth Fund). These disparities show how restricted access to reproductive healthcare can lead to preventable deaths.

Access to abortion is a fundamental part of healthcare. Pregnant individuals should have the right to make decisions about their own bodies without government interference. Limiting these choices not only threatens physical safety but also places emotional and psychological pressure on women during already vulnerable situations.

Opponents of abortion often argue that it is equivalent to “killing a baby.” This belief is typically based on the idea that life begins at conception; however, fetal development is a gradual process. During the early weeks of pregnancy, the embryo has not yet developed the structures necessary to be considered a fully formed human. Medical sources explain that significant development does not occur until several weeks after fertilization (Mayo Clinic). Additionally, clinics regulate how late abortions can occur, making late-term procedures rare and highly controlled.

Another common claim is that fetuses feel pain during abortion procedures. However, this is not supported by scientific evidence. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, pain perception requires conscious awareness, which develops much later in pregnancy. Reflexes or stress responses do not indicate the ability to feel pain, as they can occur without conscious brain processing (Lee et al.).

In conclusion, abortion access is essential for protecting women’s health and autonomy. Without it, women face higher risks of unsafe procedures, increased maternal mortality, and loss of control over their own bodies. Adriana Smith’s case illustrates the real-life consequences of restrictive laws. Bodily autonomy should not be determined by politics; it is a fundamental human right that must be protected.