Jessica Valenti misleads about post-Dobbs maternal and infant mortality on podcast

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in this guest post are solely those of the author.

Recently, pro-abortion writer Jessica Valenti was a guest on Molly Jong-Fast’s podcast, "Fast Politics." The topic of the podcast, which featured multiple pro-abortion guests, was “How We Protect Reproductive Rights Against MAGA.” Since the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision in June 2022, Valenti has become one of the most prominent voices in favor of legal abortion. She authored the book, "Abortion: Our Bodies, Their Lies, and the Truths We Use to Win," and her substack, “Abortion, Every Day” has over 265,000 followers.  

Valenti, like many other supporters of legal abortion, claims that public health trends have worsened since the Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs decision. During the podcast, Valenti stated that since Dobbs...

1. the infant mortality rate is going up

2. the maternal mortality rate is going up

3. the sepsis rate is going up

4. OBGYNs are leaving anti-abortions states. 

However, all of these statements are false or misleading.

Key Takeaways:

• Valenti claimed that the infant mortality rate has increased since Dobbs; CDC data shows it has decreased by 3%.

• She claimed that the maternal mortality rate has increased, yet data from 2022-2024 shows a 19.7% decrease in the rate.

• She claimed sepsis is increasing, but there is no way to reasonably claim this is associated with pro-life laws.

• Valenti claimed that OBGYNs are leaving pro-life states, but a 2025 study found a greater percentage increase in OBGYNs among such states.

The Details:

How We Protect Reproductive Rights Against MAGA / Project 2029: A Reimagining

Infant Mortality Rate

In 2022, the year of the Dobbs decision, the CDC reported an infant mortality rate of 5.60 per thousand births. The most recent CDC data we have on infant mortality is from the 2nd quarter of 2025 where the CDC reports an infant mortality rate of 5.43 per thousand live births – a decrease of three percent (3%) since 2022.

Maternal Mortality Rate

In 2022, the maternal mortality rate in the United States was 22.3 deaths per 100,000 live births. As of 2024, the infant mortality rate fell to 17.9 deaths per 100,000 live births. As such, the maternal mortality rate has actually fallen by 19.7 percent since 2022.

Sepsis Rate

We do not have nationwide data on sepsis. One 2025 article in ProPublica reported an increase in sepsis cases in Texas. However, upon closer review, it found the number of sepsis cases increased by 28 per year. Considering that there are nearly 400,000 children born in Texas every year — this is a small increase. Furthermore, no one can say with any degree of statistical certainty that this increase was caused by any kind of pro-life policy.

The Number of Practicing OBGYNs

A 2025 study published in JAMA Network Open found a substantial increase in the number of practicing OBGYNs since 2022. Interestingly the researchers actually found larger increases in states with strong pro-life laws. Specifically, they found the number of practicing OBGYNs increased by 8.3 percent in states where abortion is banned. Conversely, the number of practicing OBGYNs increased by only 7.7 percent in states where abortion was legally protected.  

The Bottom Line:

Supporters of legal abortion are entitled to their own opinions, but they are not entitled to their own facts. Data from the CDC and other sources show that many public health metrics have improved since the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision. It is unfortunate, but unsurprising, that prominent podcasters like Molly Jong-Fast give a platform to supporters of legal abortion like Jessica Valenti, who provide false or misleading information about public health trends.

Michael J. New is an Assistant Professor of Practice at The Catholic University of America and a Senior Associate Scholar at the Charlotte Lozier Institute. Follow him on Twitter @Michael_J_New.