People Planning to Have Families—A Critical Part of the Workforce—Are Leaving U.S. States with Abortion Bans

People who plan to have families are leaving states with abortion bans—a trend that could threaten the long-term economic vitality of those states.

This is among the findings of a new research brief, Post-Roe, Employees Want—and Expect—Businesses to Help with Reproductive Health Access, released today by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) and supported by the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Based on a survey conducted by Morning Consult of 10,000 adults and interviews with corporate leaders, the brief explores how abortion restrictions are influencing where people live and work—and what they look for in employers.

The brief’s findings highlight the critical role that access to reproductive health care has for employee recruitment and retention and workplace satisfaction—as well as in states’ broader economic stability and vitality.

“The results show reproductive healthcare is a personal and workplace imperative,” said Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, which advised on the study.  “For business leaders and policymakers, protecting reproductive rights isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s essential for talent retention and long-term economic stability.”

Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and eliminated the constitutional right to abortion in 2022, almost half the U.S. states have acted to severely restrict or entirely ban abortion care—even for patients facing life-threatening pregnancy complications.

Such policies are having an impact on people as they consider building families—including decisions about where they want to live and raise their children, as well as what potential employers’ policies are regarding access to reproductive health care.

The findings “reveal the links between reproductive health care access, state policy, and workforce dynamics,” states the brief. “Particularly among young workers and those who plan to have children within 10 years, access to reproductive health care is crucial, and they expect employers to ensure such care is available.”

Major findings of the research brief include:

• Abortion bans are deeply unpopular, particularly among younger individuals and those planning to have children. In states banning abortion, only 30 percent of respondents support their state’s abortion policies.
• States with abortion bans are losing a critical part of the workforce—people who want to build families. One in five planning to have children within the next decade has moved to another state—or knows someone that has—due to abortion restrictions.
• Employees expect their employers to act on reproductive rights and health care. Fifty-seven percent of likely future parents said they prioritize employers that offer reproductive health care benefits. Most employed adults also believe companies should work with lawmakers to protect access to reproductive rights.

“Companies are increasingly recognizing the importance of offering comprehensive reproductive health benefits to attract and retain talent. And acting now is crucial,” states the research brief.

The Center provided expertise, connection to corporate contacts, and funding for the IWPR’s research.

Another Recent Report Shows States with Abortion Bans Losing Residents

A separate paper from the Georgia Institute of Technology and the College of Wooster, published in January in National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), reported that states banning abortion had significant increases in migration outflows.

Using data from the United States Postal Service to estimate population changes between July 2018 and June 2023 in 13 states with abortion bans, the paper, titled “Are People Fleeing States with Abortion Bans?”, found that:

• States that have banned abortion have lost more than 36,000 residents per quarter. This is a reversal of the trend before the Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling, when those states were losing fewer residents than states that would later protect abortion rights.
• Young people are moving away from ban states at higher rates, and the effects are growing over time. Even “abortion-hostile states”—states with bans that aren’t in force because they’ve been blocked by courts—saw population decreases.

“States with abortion bans may face challenges in attracting and retaining workers, especially younger workers who represent future economic potential,” wrote the authors of the NBER study. “These population flows and demographic shifts could affect a wide range of economic factors from tax bases to housing markets to the availability of workers in key industries.”

Together, the two reports highlight the critical role reproductive health care access plays in employee recruitment and retention, workplace satisfaction, and broader economic stability.

Read more about the studies here:

• Research Brief: Post-Roe, Employees Want—and Expect—Businesses to Help with Reproductive Health Access, Institute for Women’s Policy Research, January 2025
• Reproductive Health Care and Job Decisions Poll, Morning Consult, January 2025
• Are People Fleeing States with Abortion Bans?, National Bureau of Economic Research, 01.06.25
• The Economic and Workforce Impact of Restrictive Abortion Laws: Why Access to Reproductive Health Care Matters for Employers, October 2024