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The Impact of Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers Laws on Abortions and Births

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  • Arnold, Grace E.

Abstract

This paper analyzes the impact of supply-side abortion restrictions on aggregate abortion and birth rates in the United States. Specifically, I exploit state and time variation in the implementation of the first targeted regulation of abortion provider (TRAP) law in a state to identify the effects of the laws. I find that TRAP laws are associated with a reduction in the abortion rate of approximately 5% the year the first law is implemented, and an average reduction of 11-14% in subsequent years. There is also evidence that TRAP laws increased birth rates by 2-3%, which accounts for approximately 80-100% of the observed decline in abortion rates.

Suggested Citation

  • Arnold, Grace E., 2022. "The Impact of Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers Laws on Abortions and Births," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1093, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:glodps:1093
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Abdul Baki, Ghina & Beland, Louis-Philippe & Yazbeck, Myra & Zayat, Aline, 2025. "Reactance, rationalization, and women's rights for safe abortion: Evidence from Roe vs. Wade's overturn," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 233(C).
    2. Gardner, Graham, 2024. "The maternal and infant health consequences of restricted access to abortion in the United States," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    3. Jones, Kelly M. & Pineda-Torres, Mayra, 2024. "TRAP’d Teens: Impacts of abortion provider regulations on fertility & education," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 234(C).
    4. Piette Durrance, Christine & Wang, Yang & Wolfe, Barbara, 2025. "Abortion access and child protective services involvement," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    5. António Melo, 2024. "Do all roads lead to the same destination? Proximity to abortion providers, abortions, and their conditions in Portugal," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 37(4), pages 1-31, December.
    6. Caitlin Knowles Myers, 2022. "Confidential and legal access to abortion and contraception in the USA, 1960–2020," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 35(4), pages 1385-1441, October.
    7. Caitlin Myers, 2024. "Forecasts for a post‐Roe America: The effects of increased travel distance on abortions and births," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(1), pages 39-62, January.
    8. Lu, Runjing & Ye, Zihan, 2023. "Roe v. Rates: Reproductive Healthcare and Public Financing Costs," SocArXiv 7t5jz, Center for Open Science.
    9. repec:osf:socarx:7t5jz_v1 is not listed on IDEAS

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J18 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Public Policy

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