Medical and health care experts are concerned about the ramifications of the U.S. Supreme Court's reversal of the landmark Roe v Wade decision, warning that it could lead to an increase in maternal mortality.

On Friday, in a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court overturned the 1973 ruling which established the constitutional right to abortion, triggering several laws outlawing abortions in roughly half of the U.S.

Experts have called for urgent action to protect remaining reproductive rights and the health of patients, especially for people of color, who will be disproportionately affected.

Current state bans could lead to an additional 75,000 births a year for those who can’t access abortions, the Guardian reports.

The U.S. has one of the highest maternal mortality rates compared to other developed countries – In 2020, 23.8 people died from pregnancy or childbirth-related causes for every 100,000 births.

Black women will be heavily impacted by the reversal of Roe v. Wade – they seek abortions at higher rates due to a lack of access to contraceptives and partly because they are more likely to face more dangerous complications during pregnancies.