The Financial Consequences of Being Denied an Abortion

Forty-three states prohibit some abortions after a certain point in the pregnancy. This paper evaluates the financial and economic consequences of being denied an abortion for such a reason. Our analysis relies on new linkages to administrative data on credit reports using participants in the Turnaway Study. This study recruited women seeking abortion at health providers located in 21 states. These women fell in to one of two groups: approximately 400 were up to two weeks under the facility’s gestational age limit and received the abortion they sought (Near Limit Abortion Group), while approximately 300 were up to three weeks over the facility’s gestational age limit and were turned away without receiving an abortion (Turnaway Group). Our analysis compares changes over time in credit report outcomes across these two groups for 2 years prior and up to 5 years following the intended abortion.