Abortion restrictions cost the U.S. economy more than $140 billion in lost earnings in 2025, according to a new report from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR). Researchers found that states with the most restrictive abortion policies accounted for nearly $68 billion of those losses, almost $4 billion more than the previous year’s estimate.
The report also found that the overall economic impact has grown. Compared with 2024, the estimated nationwide losses increased by nearly $7 billion, suggesting the financial effects of abortion restrictions continue to rise.
Impact on the Workforce
According to the report, removing barriers to abortion access could allow nearly 325,000 more women to join the workforce each year. Researchers also estimate that the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) could increase by as much as 0.5%, with some of the biggest economic gains expected in states that currently have the strictest abortion restrictions.
The report comes as the U.S. labor market continues to slow, inflation remains high and women’s labor force participation has still not returned to its peak level recorded in April 2000.
Some Communities Face Greater Losses
The analysis found that the economic impact is not experienced equally. Black and Latina women are more likely to face higher earnings and labor force losses because of reproductive health restrictions. Among women aged 15 to 44, Black women experience the largest estimated earnings losses at 9.9%, compared with 8.7% for White women.
Researchers also found that some states could benefit more than others if abortion restrictions were lifted. Mississippi is projected to see the largest increase in women’s labor force participation, while Alabama, Arkansas, South Carolina and West Virginia could see their economies grow by nearly 1% each year.
IWPR said the findings highlight the long-term economic impact of abortion restrictions, saying that access to abortion care affects not only reproductive healthcare but also education, employment, financial stability and the wider economy.
