Abstract
After the Texas Heartbeat Act took effect on September 1, 2021, there was a substantial reduction in the number of abortions performed in Texas. However, the impact of this law on the overall incidence of abortion has been disputed. Some have argued that the in-state decline was largely offset by Texas women either obtaining abortions in other states or obtaining chemical abortion pills through the mail. To better analyze the impact of the Heartbeat Act, I analyze its impact on the Texas birthrate seven months after it took effect. The statistically significant increase in the Texas birthrate starting in March 2022 provides solid evidence that the Heartbeat Act reduced the incidence of abortion and resulted in more pregnancies being carried to term. Furthermore, an analysis of county level data provides evidence that Texas counties located large distances from out-of-state abortion facilities experienced larger birthrate increase than other counties.