Sex-selective abortion bans and the birth outcomes of Asian immigrants

Emma Zang, Keitaro Okura and Melissa Tian

Social Science & Medicine, 2025, vol. 383, issue C

Abstract: The pro-life movement in the United States has achieved significant legislative victories in restricting abortion access. Among these, sex-selective abortion bans (SSABs)—prohibitions on abortions sought based on fetal sex—have garnered little scholarly attention. Advocates of SSABs often invoke xenophobic stereotypes, claiming that Asian immigrants hold a cultural preference for sons and engage in sex-selective abortions of female fetuses. This study examines the impact of SSABs on Asian immigrant mothers’ birth outcomes, hypothesizing that these laws foster a stigmatizing social climate that exacerbates maternal stress and adversely affects infant health. Using natality data from the National Vital Statistics System (2005–2019) and a triple-difference approach, we find that SSABs significantly increased the likelihood of low birth weight and preterm births among infants born to Asian immigrant mothers. These findings highlight the broader health consequences of policies rooted in xenophobia, underscoring the need for nuanced policy discussions surrounding abortion access, anti-Asian hate, and immigrant well-being in the United States.

Keywords: Structural racism; Abortion bans; Social determinants; Asian immigrants; Population health; Xenophobia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.118442

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