US study links abortion bans to higher teen girl suicidal thoughts

A study published in JAMA Psychiatry examined federal Youth Risk Behavior Survey data from 2017 to 2023 across 15 U.S. states, five of which enacted near‑total abortion bans. Researchers found that the proportion of high‑school girls reporting suicidal ideation rose in the ban states while it declined in states without bans.

The study’s lead author, Wendy Sheldon of Verge Research, noted the increase was “unique and specific among adolescent females in ban states.” Other analyses highlighted methodological limits: the data did not track actual suicide attempts, excluded several ban states, and did not consider sexual activity or gender identity. Nonetheless, the findings add to ongoing debates about the public‑health impacts of restrictive abortion laws.