Access to safe and legal abortion is an economic issue, not only an issue of bodily autonomy and individual agency. Access to abortion enables people to make the decisions that are right for them and their financial security. Furthermore, the ability to control if and when to have a child has lifelong economic consequences not only for the people directly impacted, but also their families and communities.

Many states put unnecessary restrictions on women seeking abortions, restrictions that have no basis in medical science and imperil women’s health and well-being. These unnecessary restrictions cost local economies $105 billion per year. If these unnecessary restrictions were eliminated, U.S. GDP would be almost 0.5% higher.

Additionally, abortion is crucial for racial, economic and geographic equity. Ensuring access to safe and legal abortions has implications for the economic and health equity of people of color because of the systematic inequalities of the American economy and healthcare system. Furthermore, if the Supreme Court were to overturn Roe v. Wade, access to abortion would also become more geographically unequal in the United States than it already is.

Read the full brief HERE.