The South led the way on abortion bans. Is the adoption system ready?
(opens in new window)Southern states have led the charge in overturning abortion rights. But many of these states have also seen some of the highest rates of maternal deaths and child poverty.
From 2012-2016, Louisiana had the highest maternal mortality rate in the U.S. with 58.9 deaths per 100,000 births, followed by Georgia with 48.4 deaths, according to a 2018 USA TODAY investigation analyzing state health data.
Source: USA Today