It’s unknown how many women in the state have given birth because they didn’t have access to abortion, but it is clear that from the time a Tennessee woman gets pregnant, she faces greater obstacles to a healthy pregnancy, a healthy child and a financially stable family than the average American mom.
In states that ban abortion, social safety net programs often fail families Taylor Cagnacci moved from California to Tennessee with hopes of starting a new chapter in a state that touts a low cost of living and natural beauty.
“I was going to have my child no matter what, but for other women, that’s kind of a crappy situation that they put you in," said Cagnacci, a 29-year-old Kingsport mom who relies on Medicaid and a federally funded nutrition program.
But she's infuriated by Tennessee's meager social services, which leave her and many other moms struggling in a state where abortion is banned with limited exceptions.
Like other states with strict abortion bans, Tennesseans of childbearing age are more likely to live in maternal care deserts and face overall doctor shortages.
