(LifeSiteNews) — Maternal deaths declined in 2023, contradicting years of warnings that pro-life laws would endanger women.
A February 2025 CDC report shows the U.S. maternal mortality rate fell from 22.3 to 18.6 deaths per 100,000 live births – a nearly 17 percent drop. The number of maternal deaths dropped from 817 to 669 over the same period.
Maternal death is defined as occurring during pregnancy or within 42 days of its end, excluding accidental or unrelated causes. The CDC’s data, drawn from the National Vital Statistics System, follows World Health Organization standards.
Pro-life leaders say the numbers call into question predictions that abortion limits would put women at greater risk.
“U.S. maternal mortality fell since pro-life laws went into effect,” said Dr. Ingrid Skop, vice president at the Charlotte Lozier Institute, noting the post-r timeline.
Christa Brown of Heartbeat International agreed. “This CDC report validates that pro-life laws actually improve women’s healthcare, and do not increase maternal mortality,” she said.
Major media outlets and abortion activists had warned that abortion bans would lead to a rise in pregnancy-related deaths, especially among minorities. But the CDC report shows statistically significant declines for White and Hispanic women. The rate for Black women rose slightly – from 49.5 to 50.3 – but the increase was not statistically significant. That rate remains substantially higher than for Asian (10.7), White (14.5), and Hispanic (12.4) women.
Brown called for deeper inquiry into the racial disparities: “The reality for Black women … should prompt our healthcare system to uncover and address the causations and risks in this population.”
The findings follow earlier studies that challenge claims of a link between pro-life laws and maternal harm. A decade-long review in Mexico found that states with stronger abortion restrictions often had lower maternal death rates.
The CDC noted ongoing efforts to improve death reporting accuracy, especially given small sample sizes. But the direction of the trend – after a year of expanded abortion limits – may shift how the debate is framed.
The data challenges the narrative that legal protections for unborn children come at the expense of maternal safety.
