I’ve written about scientific abortion research for more than a decade. I’m constantly struck by how prevalent abortion myths are, even on the left. People do not know how critical abortion is to health, how common it is, and how significantly access to abortion clinics can affect a community. They’re about to find out.
Research shows that people change their minds when they can put a human face to a problem, and when they have the right information. The right has been programming its followers to believe and propagate abortion myths for five decades. We must push back. We must win the information war. I’ve compiled a list below of some of the most important abortion research I’ve covered. Each article contains links to additional resources, scientific studies, and statistics. We need to repeat this data twice as often as every lie the right repeats.
The end of Roe is just the beginning. Take time to grieve, but then make a plan to contribute whatever you can. The right information can and does change minds, as this pair of studies shows. Here’s the information you need to know about how critical abortion access is to health.
How abortion saves lives
You can’t be pro-life and ignore the heartbeat of pregnant people. Abortion saves lives, and not just in extreme or rare circumstances:
How abortion protects children and families
Abortion is inherently pro-family. Anti-choice politics hurt children and families, condemn people to poverty, and correlate with higher rates of child abuse. Here’s why you can’t be pro-family without being pro-choice:
Benefits of abortion pills and telehealth abortion
One of the only options now for preserving some level of reproductive choice is to remove federal restrictions on access to abortion pills. Here’s everything you need to know:
The mental health effects and benefits of abortion
Being denied an abortion is catastrophic for mental health, but the right continues to lie about the mental health effects of abortion. Here’s the truth:
Maternal mortality
It is impossible to discuss reproductive rights without discussing maternal mortality. The maternal mortality rate in the U.S. is catastrophically rising, and anti-choicers know it. Here’s a primer on what’s happening, and why:
Myths about abortion
The right continues to win abortion discourse because of their willingness to aggressively lie. They’re better at sound bytes and more willing to shout down their opponents. As a result, even pro-choicers are often wrong about abortion. These articles sum up how badly the discourse has gone, and the most common myths about abortion:
Public opinion on abortion
Restrictive abortion laws ignore public opinion, including the desires of Republicans. In this regard, they are fundamentally undemocratic.
Right wing abortion hypocrisy
The cruelty of anti-choice laws is, and has always been, the point. It’s not about life. Or babies. Or families. It’s about punishing and controlling women. Here are just a few reasons why: