UpFront

Republicans propose a federal abortion ban; Plus a long look at the pregnancy-related mortality crisis

Maternal mortality rates, by race and Hispanic origin: United States, 2018–2020 | CDC

On today’s show:

0:08Jessica Mason Pieklo (@Hegemommy), Senior Vice President and Executive Editor of Rewire News Group and co-host of the podcast Boom! Lawyered unpacks South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham’s legislative proposal for a federal abortion ban.

0:20John Nichols (@NicholsUprising), national affairs correspondent for The Nation magazine discusses the Republican candidates distancing themselves from Senator Graham’s proposed ban.

0:33 – A total abortion ban has been predicted to result in a 20% increase in the rates of pregnancy-related mortality overall and a 30% increase for Black people. But pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. were already rising for at least 30 years. KPFA’s Lauren Shapiro looked at why.