Pregnancy Equity Scores by State
Pregnancy equity is the ability of a woman to decide to carry her child to term regardless of financial status and the state she resides in. Seventy-five percent of women who have abortions are financially insecure. We looked at a holistic set of criteria (detailed below) to arrive at these pregnancy equity scores. The states are then ranked based on their overall score, reflecting the various resources available for women in that state.
The scores work like golf - the lower, the better! The darker the color a state has, the lower (and better) that state’s pregnancy equity score. The lighter the color, the higher (and worse) that state’s score. To see our scoring methodology, click here.
Scoring Methodology
as of May 2023
Here is a rundown of our scoring process. (Links go to data source sites.)
- Medicaid Expansion 12 months postpartum coverage - 0 if Medicaid expansion (and postpartum coverage), 5 if Medicaid expansion (without postpartum coverage), 10 if no Medicaid expansion.
- Paid Leave - 0 if the state has paid leave, 5 if the state has paid (sick) leave for state workers, 10 if there is no state leave policy.
- Maternal Mortality Rate (deaths/100,000) - This is the maternal mortality rate of the state. The rate is the score (in 2023).
- Infant Mortality Rate (deaths / 1,000 live births) - This is the state's infant mortality rate. The rate is the score (in 2020).
- Diaper Tax Rate - The diaper tax rate of the state is the score.
- Basic medical care provided to infants born alive from abortion - 0 if protects life from conception, 5 if the state protects life based on gestational age, 10 if the laws exist starting at the heartbeat, 15 if the state lacks these laws.
- Fetal Homicide Laws - 0 if the state has these laws from conception, 5 if the state has fetal homicide laws after conception, 10 if the state lacks fetal homicide laws.
- Reports Abortion Statistics to CDC - 0 if the state reports data to the CDC, 10 if they do not.
- Perinatal Hospice Referral - 0 if the state has laws for perinatal hospice referrals, 5 if the state has no laws but has perinatal hospice referrals, 10 if the state has no centers.
- Alternatives to Abortion Programs - 0 if state has program(s), 10 if no program.
- Funds Abortion Beyond Federal Requirements - 0 if state does not fund abortion beyond federal requirements,10 if state does fund abortion beyond federal requirements
- Abortion Rate - the state’s abortion rate in 2020.
- Percentage of Pregnancies ending in Abortion - the state’s percentage of pregnancies aborted in 2020.
- Legal Protection for Preborn Children - 0 if the state protects all preborn life 5 if the state protects preborn life based on gestational age, 10 if the state protects preborn life when heartbeat detected, 15 if the state does not protect preborn life.
Conclusions
While some state legislators may think they are pro-life because they are anti-abortion, we have news for them. Human rights do not stop the moment you are born.
While some state legislators may think they are pro-choice because they are pro-abortion, we have news for them. Human rights do not begin the moment you are born.
PDF of supporting data (opens in a new tab)