Using Texas Birth Data to Analyze the Impact of the Texas Heartbeat Law

• In Event: Poster Session: American Politics Research & Ideas and Institutions in American Political Thought
  In Poster Session: Poster Session: American Politics Research

Abstract

When the Texas Heartbeat Act took effect on September 1, 2021, Texas became the first state since the Roe v. Wade decision to enforce a pre-viability restriction on abortion. The impact of the Texas Heartbeat Act has been difficult to gage. Public health data indicates that in-state abortions fell significantly after the enforcement of the Heartbeat Act. However, it is possible that Texas women were able to circumvent the law by obtaining abortions in other states, self-inducing abortions, or obtaining chemical abortion pills through the mail. A June 2023 study that appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that the Texas birthrate increased as a result of the Heartbeat Act. This study uses a unique county level dataset of Texas birth data to build on that research. In particular, I will be able to determine if county birthrates were impacted by the distance to the nearest out-of-state abortion facility. I will also analyze county level data on race, income, and economic growth in this analysis. This will allow for important insights about how the Texas Heartbeat Act impacted the childbearing decisions of Texas women.

Author

• Michael J. New, The Catholic University of America