"Beneath the Ban of Abortion : Evidence from the USSR"

Abstract :
Capitalizing on an abrupt policy discontinuity created by Stalin’s ban on abortions in 1936, this paper provides evidence of the direct and indirect effects of this ban on abortions. Our empirical analysis reveals that the abortion ban led to direct effects, including higher birth rates and increased infant mortality. These direct outcomes, however, were accompanied by more indirect consequences—such as a rise in illegal abortions and vandalism—that emerged as societal responses to the new restrictions. Other policies by Stalin, such as political purges and propaganda campaigns, fail to account for the observed effects. Our results underscore the sweeping consequences of restrictive reproductive policies, highlighting how state interventions in limiting reproductive rights can generate both intended demographic shifts and some unintended social costs.