The Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization eliminated federal constitutional protection for abortion and led to substantial variation in abortion policy across U.S. states. This project examines how newly enacted state abortion restrictions have affected women’s short-run labor force participation across different policy environments. Treating Dobbs as a policy shock, the study leverages differences between restrictive and protective states to assess early changes in employment and labor-force attachment.

Drawing on economic theory and prior research linking reproductive autonomy to women’s human capital investment and labor supply, this paper evaluates whether reduced access to abortion alters women’s attachment to the workforce. The analysis focuses on short-run outcomes, including labor force participation and employment status, and considers how changes in reproductive policy may influence household economic stability and income trajectories over time.

Existing literature suggests that access to abortion has historically contributed to higher educational attainment, increased labor-force participation, and improved economic outcomes for women. By examining early post-Dobbs trends across states, this study investigates whether new restrictions are associated with measurable shifts in labor market behavior. In doing so, it contributes to broader debates about the economic consequences of legal institutions and the relationship between public policy and labor market outcomes.