Is Media Lying About Abortions and Maternal Health? The Data Is Shocking
By Movieguide® Contributor
A new report criticizing states that restrict abortion is facing scrutiny after it was found to be based on outdated statistics.
“A new state-by-state women’s health scorecard released today by the Commonwealth Fund reveals mounting disparities in women’s health and reproductive care across the United States,” the Commonwealth Fund wrote in a statement about the report.
They alleged that their findings “raise concerns over the state of women’s health care” following the Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Movieguide® previously reported on the decision:
On May 2, Politico leaked landmark documents: a majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito that would reject the 1973 ruling of Roe v. Wade and all subsequent cases, including Planned Parenthood v. Casey in 1992.
“It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives… This is what the Constitution and the rule of law demand,” the draft reads.
“Abortion presents a profound moral question. The Constitution does not prohibit the citizens of each State from regulating or prohibiting abortion. Roe and Casey arrogated that authority. We now overrule those decisions and return that authority to the people and their elected representatives,” the draft continued.
Many news outlets have reported on the Commonwealth Fund’s findings, including Bloomberg, whose headline stated, “Maternal deaths were highest in states that restrict abortion.”
The issue with the Commonwealth Fund’s report is that the data they pulled was from 2022. While Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization was decided in 2022, it wasn’t until June of that year, and many states did not begin to change legislation until later in the year.
In fact, the CDC released data that shows maternal deaths in the United States actually decreased between 2022 and 2023 by more than 16%.
“About 680 women died last year during pregnancy or shortly after childbirth, according to provisional CDC data,” CBS reported. “That’s down from 817 deaths in 2022 and 1,205 in 2021, when it was the highest level in more than 50 years.”
This report reinforces the importance of media discernment, especially when it comes to sensitive topics like this. Movieguide® reported:
We must increase our media discernment right now as mainstream outlets, social media platforms, and well-meaning friends and colleagues circulate links about current events.
Though these tips were initially given for consuming entertainment media, they apply to many viral videos and articles we see trending today. Movieguide® founder Dr. Ted Baehr states that viewers should be mindful of three key things:
(1) the medium of entertainment they are consuming;
(2) their cognitive abilities; and,
(3) the values of both the medium they are consuming and biblical values.
As Christians, we need to exercise discernment to vet through the scads of articles and content we see each day.
