Abortion legalization, teen sexual and reproductive health behaviors, and women's empowerment in South Africa.

ABSTRACT: Restrictive abortion laws in many African nations are associated with risks such as unsafe procedures and teenage motherhood. This study examines how abortion legalization influences sexual and reproductive health and women's empowerment in South Africa, using a difference-in-differences design. Analyzing variations in birth cohorts and access to health care facilities with abortion services across provinces, the study finds no direct causal impact of the abortion policy on teenage motherhood, fertility rates, early sexual debut, high school completion, or college attendance, though negative associations with teenage motherhood and fertility rates and positive associations with early sexual debut, high school completion, and college attendance, were observed. The study suggests that limite

SUBMITTER: Njokwe G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12369060 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature