The fight for better access to abortion continues in the United States. Five women, including two pregnant women, who were denied abortions despite serious medical risks, filed a lawsuit against the state of Texas on Monday, March 6, as reported by the New York Times.
This is the first time pregnant women have filed a lawsuit against the abortion ban since the US Supreme Court ruled Roe vs. Wade last June, who guaranteed the right to abortion in the United States.
Texas permits abortions on an exceptional basis, when a doctor determines that there is a risk of mortal danger to the mother and/or fetus, or in the event of rape or incest.
5 women file lawsuit against Texas for preventing them from having abortions despite health risks
Although they ran the risk of hemorrhage or fatal infection while carrying these fetuses, these women were told they could not have an abortion, the complaint said. However, some have been hospitalized due to the consequences of their pregnancy on their health.
Three of them had to cross the border into Texas to get an abortion, fearing that their family and neighbors would report them to state authorities. Like Lauren Hall, who was 18 weeks pregnant when scans revealed the fetus had no skull and an undeveloped brain. A specialist urged her to leave the state, but not to tell anyone where she was going or why, lest someone report her to a hotline implemented by anti-abortion groups.
But also like Lauren Miller, who had to go to Colorado to get an abortion. Pregnant with twins, tests revealed that one of them had a genetic defect called trisomy 18. The fetus suffered from several anomalies, including a malformed brain, an abdominal wall and an incomplete heart.
For Amanda Zurawski, after 18 weeks of pregnancy, tests revealed that her fetus would not have survived the birth. After an emergency hospitalization caused by sepsis, and although her fetus died, the doctors told her that she could not be aborted. She was sent home.
As a reminder, when a woman wishes to have an abortion unauthorized in some US states, her doctor faces up to 99 years in prison, a $100,000 fine, and the loss of her medical license. This encourages practitioners not to offer abortions, even in cases where the law appears to authorize it.
Source: Madmoizelle
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
