Societal Costs of Total Abortion Bans in 14 US States After Dobbs.

This article estimates the societal costs of total abortion bans enacted in 14 U.S. states within the first year following the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision, which overturned federal abortion protections. Using a cost-of-illness model informed by literature and data from April–May 2022, the study found that 104,369 individuals were unable to access in-clinic abortions in these states, resulting in an estimated $339.6 million in combined personal and external costs. These costs primarily arose from interstate travel for abortion care ($104.7 million), carrying pregnancies to term ($233.2 million), and pregnancy losses such as miscarriage or stillbirth ($1.7 million), while increased use of telemedicine and other out-of-clinic abortion methods yielded modest cost reductions. The findings highlight the economic burdens imposed by abortion bans on individuals and society, emphasizing that restoring abortion access and expanding telehealth services could improve economic outcomes.