Observations from Poland’s Abortion Ban

Poland — once a refuge for Europeans seeking abortion care — has now outlawed nearly all abortions. Over the past 30 years, a series of conservative governments have made abortions illegal, except in the case of rape, incest, or significant risk to the mother’s life and health. In 2020, Poland became one of two European Union nations to deny people abortions even in the case of fetal abnormalities.

Poland is one of four countries that has been rolling back abortion rights since the 1990s. Another is the United States.

The Cascading Impacts of Poland’s Abortion Ban

Soon after Poland instituted its ban in 1993, underground networks of abortion providers emerged. In 2021, at least 34,000 women were estimated to have received an illegal abortion or traveled abroad for one. But priced at USD 400 to 800 or more, these options have been out of reach for those who are poor or live in rural areas — the two groups most affected by the ban. As a result, teenage pregnancies have risen, and more children and infants have been abandoned by their parents.

With the Polish Supreme Court’s more recent ruling outlawing abortions for fetal abnormalities, the number of legal abortions has dropped by 90 percent. Although abortion is still permitted if the mother’s life is at risk, doctors are wary of being seen as violating the ban and fearful of the possible legal and professional consequences. There have been at least six reported cases of mothers dying during childbirth because they did not receive proper medical care; the actual numbers are likely much higher.

Just a year after the 2020 ban, and for the first time in decades, the Polish infant mortality rate increased by 9 percent. Neonatal deaths rose 19 percent. Experts have argued these increases were, in part, related to the nation’s extreme abortion policies. Since 2017, the rate of stillbirths also has risen by 12 percent, the highest it has been since 2013.

Possible Implications for the U.S.

These data may have implications for the United States. Women of reproductive age in the U.S. have poorer health outcomes compared to women in other high-income countries: they are more likely to die from complications related to pregnancy and other avoidable causes, and they are, on average, expected to live shorter lives. These outcomes are all much worse for women of color.

Approximately 22 million women of reproductive age live in states with strict abortion laws. By some estimates, a number of these states could see up to 30 percent increases in maternal mortality. Moreover, those with the most restrictive abortion bans have some of the weakest social safety nets for pregnant women and their babies.

It’s important for U.S. policymakers to be aware of Poland’s experience, particularly with the U.S. already in the throes of a maternal health crisis. As the data demonstrate, by restricting access to vital health care services, we might see higher infant and maternal mortality rates, as well as physicians rendered unable to perform lifesaving procedures.