Hyde Amendment Has Saved More Than 2.6 Million Unborn Babies
On the 49th anniversary of the Hyde Amendment, CLI underscores its impact on reducing abortions
Washington D.C.—A new report from the Charlotte Lozier Institute (CLI) calculated more than 2.6 million unborn babies have been saved since the implementation of the Hyde Amendment, a policy which prohibits the use of federal funds for elective abortion. The report also highlights that over 33,000 babies were saved in 2024.
To evaluate the impact of the Hyde Amendment, CLI studied data from all 50 states plus the District of Columbia from 1976 to 2025. The author predicted outcomes based on the existence or lack of federal and state funding for abortions as well as the existence of pro-life laws.
Michael J. New, Ph.D., senior associate scholar at CLI and the author of the report, said:
“Since it was first passed in 1976, the Hyde Amendment has had a great track record of protecting the conscience rights of taxpayers and protecting unborn babies. 49 years later, we are still seeing the fruits of the Hyde Amendment as tens of thousands of unborn lives are saved. As we work to end the scourge of abortion, the Hyde Amendment has remained an important safeguard protecting the dignity of unborn babies and the conscience rights of Americans who don’t want their tax dollars funding abortion.”
As of September 2025, 19 state Medicaid programs cover elective abortion, circumventing the impact of the Hyde Amendment in those states.
The Trump administration issued an order in January to ensure the enforcement of the Hyde Amendment.
To read CLI’s full report, click here.
Charlotte Lozier Institute was launched in 2011 as the education and research arm of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America. CLI is a hub for research and public policy analysis on some of the most pressing issues facing the United States and nations around the world. The Institute is named for a feminist physician known for her commitment to the sanctity of human life and equal career and educational opportunities for women.
###
