The right to abortion is about more than healthcare. It is about a woman’s ability to decide about her body, future, and freedom. The United Nations (UN) recognizes abortion access as a fundamental human right and states that restricting it leads to higher maternal mortality, economic hardship, and increased gender-based violence (United Nations, 2022). Yet, under Trump, the U.S. took a massive step backward by reversing policies that protected women’s reproductive choices. By restricting access to abortion, the Trump administration forced many women into unwanted pregnancies, stripping them of control over their lives (Reproductive Rights, 2024). These policies disproportionately affected poor and marginalized women, reinforcing structural inequalities. The idea that abortion restrictions only target the procedure itself is a myth. They shape a woman’s economic future, ability to escape abuse, and access to opportunities. One of Trump’s earliest and most aggressive actions was reinstating and expanding the Mexico City Policy, better known as the "Global Gag Rule." Just days after taking office in 2017, he signed an executive order cutting U.S. funding to any international health organization that provided, promoted, or even discussed abortion services (ACLU, 2024). This policy wasn’t just symbolic; it forced clinics around the world to shut down, leaving millions of women without access to contraception, maternal healthcare, and safe abortion services (Reproductive Rights, 2024). The impact was devastating, particularly in developing countries where U.S.-funded organizations were often the only source of reproductive healthcare. At home, Trump’s administration gutted the Title X program in 2019, stripping federal funding from any clinic that referred patients for abortion services (Guttmacher Institute, 2024). This move directly targeted Planned Parenthood, which refused to comply with the new restrictions and withdrew from the program (Planned Parenthood, 2024). The result? Clinic closures, increased waiting times and reduced access to contraception, cancer screenings, and STI testing for low-income and rural women. Title X was never just about abortion—it was a lifeline for millions who depended on these services for basic healthcare. But Trump’s most lasting impact on abortion rights came through the Supreme Court. Throughout his presidency, he appointed three conservative justices; Neil Gorsuch (2017), Brett Kavanaugh (2018), and Amy Coney Barrett (2020); creating a solid right-wing majority on the Court (Guttmacher Institute, 2024). This shift in judicial power laid the groundwork for the 2022 ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade (The 19th News, 2025). With Roe gone, abortion bans took effect across multiple states overnight, some with no exceptions for rape or incest. Republican-led states had "trigger laws" ready to go, criminalizing abortion the moment the ruling came down. While the Trump administration claims to be "pro-life," the reality is that these policies endanger women’s health, increase maternal mortality, and exacerbate socio-economic inequalities. The women who suffer the most are those already facing barriers to healthcare: low-income women, women of color, and victims of domestic abuse.
One of the most alarming effects of abortion restrictions is the rise in unsafe abortions. When legal abortion is limited or banned, women don’t stop seeking abortions; they are just forced into more dangerous alternatives (Reproductive Rights, 2024). The World Health Organization (WHO) has long warned that restricting abortion leads to higher rates of unsafe procedures, which in turn increases maternal deaths (WHO, 2022). Trump’s policies, particularly the expansion of the Global Gag Rule, led to the closure of international health clinics, cutting off access to safe abortion and contraception for millions of women worldwide (ACLU, 2024). In the U.S., state-level bans that followed Dobbs v. Jackson pushed some women to seek abortions outside the medical system, putting their health and lives at risk (Guttmacher Institute, 2024).
The consequences of abortion bans extend beyond the procedure itself by undermining maternal healthcare more broadly. Many clinics that provide abortions also offer prenatal and postnatal care, cancer screenings, STI testing, and contraception (Planned Parenthood, 2024). When these clinics are defunded or shut down, women lose access to essential healthcare services, not just abortion. Research shows that in states with the strictest abortion laws, maternal mortality rates have risen sharply in recent years (The 19th News, 2025). In Texas, for example, maternal deaths spiked after the passage of restrictive abortion laws, disproportionately affecting Black women (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2024). In Texas, Josseli Barnica died after being denied miscarriage treatment due to the state's abortion ban. She was forced to wait for 40 hours, and by the time she was treated, the infection had spread too far (The Guardian, 2024). Another Texas woman, Amanda Zurawski, was left to develop sepsis after doctors refused to perform an abortion when her water broke at 18 weeks. By the time she received care, the infection had caused permanent reproductive damage (CNN, 2022). Cases like these are becoming more common in states with restrictive laws, where doctors hesitate to act even in clear medical emergencies.
Beyond physical health risks, abortion restrictions also have severe psychological and economic impacts. Women who are denied abortions are more likely to experience financial instability, stay in abusive relationships, and suffer from mental health issues like anxiety and depression (The Guardian, 2024). According to the Turnaway Study, which followed women who sought abortions over ten years, those denied care were four times more likely to live in poverty than those who were able to terminate their pregnancies (ANSIRH, 2020). This study also found that being forced to carry an unwanted pregnancy increased the likelihood of staying with abusive partners, leading to higher rates of domestic violence (The Guardian, 2024). Perhaps most disturbingly, restricting abortion access has been linked to higher rates of femicide. When women in abusive relationships cannot access abortion, they are less able to leave violent partners, putting them at greater risk of being killed (The Guardian, 2024).
A study published in Health Affairs found that in states with severe abortion restrictions, homicide rates among pregnant women were significantly higher than in states where abortion remained accessible (Tulane University School of Public Health, 2024). In a country where homicide is already the leading cause of death for pregnant women, Trump’s policies didn’t just harm women’s health but also actively endangered their lives (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 2024).
The U.S. is now part of a global trend where authoritarian-leaning leaders push anti-abortion agendas as part of their broader political control. Poland, for example, passed extreme abortion restrictions in recent years, leading to women dying from being denied care, protests sweeping the country, and international condemnation (IPPF, 2024). El Salvador has some of the world’s strictest abortion bans, where women who have miscarriages are wrongfully imprisoned for homicide (Amnesty International, 2023). The U.S. may not have reached that level, but the risks are growing with criminalization efforts expanding in red states. With Dobbs v. Jackson overturning Roe v. Wade, the fight for reproductive rights has entered a new phase. The Biden administration has attempted to restore protections, but the conservative Supreme Court remains a major obstacle (The 19th News, 2025). Even with federal efforts to safeguard abortion access, Republican-led states continue to pass extreme restrictions, with some pushing for laws that criminalize crossing state lines for abortion care (Guttmacher Institute, 2024). Activism has also surged in response to Trump’s policies. The Women’s March and reproductive rights groups have mobilized millions of Americans, leading to ballot initiatives that protect abortion access in some states (Planned Parenthood, 2024). But the reality remains that abortion rights in America now depend on geography: a woman in California has full reproductive rights, while a woman in Texas could face criminal charges for seeking the same care. Internationally, the U.S. has lost credibility on human rights. By restricting abortion at home and cutting off global funding for reproductive healthcare, Trump damaged America’s position as a leader in gender equality (Human Rights Watch, 2024). The Biden administration has reversed the Global Gag Rule, but restoring trust and ensuring long-term protections will take years.
Trump’s anti-abortion policies were never just about restricting access to a medical procedure. They were part of a broader strategy to limit women’s autonomy, reinforce traditional gender roles, and weaken protections for gender equality. His administration’s actions, whether through court appointments, funding cuts, or global policy changes, left millions of women with fewer rights, fewer healthcare options, and greater vulnerability to economic instability and gender-based violence. The future of reproductive rights is far from settled. With anti-abortion activists emboldened, legal battles continuing, and conservative politicians pushing for a national abortion ban, the fight for bodily autonomy is still being waged. The past few years have proven that reproductive rights can be stripped away in an instant. Whether they can be permanently restored depends on sustained activism, legal challenges, and political will.
Bibliography
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