By Rylee Cheney
Texas has enacted some of the nation’s strictest abortion laws amid rising maternal deaths. From 2019 to 2022, the rate of maternal mortality cases in Texas rose by 56% [1]. Roe v. Wade was overturned in June 2022, ultimately eliminating the federal right to abortion, and shifting the power to regulate abortion laws back to individual states [2]. Following this result, many states implemented total abortion bans, including Texas. Texas, the second-most populous state with more than 30 million residents, is home to Houston, the fourth-largest U.S. city [3, 4].
In the state of Texas, abortion is completely banned, with limited exceptions allowed under specific circumstances [5]. Patients face many hurdles, such as completing counseling, to receive abortion care [5]. State Medicaid coverage and private health insurance coverage for abortions are prohibited, except in minimal cases [5]. Telehealth for self-medicated abortions is banned, requiring in-person visits, and minors must obtain parental consent [5]. Additionally, only licensed physicians are allowed to provide abortions, excluding other qualified healthcare professionals, alongside strict regulation on medicated abortions [5]. Burdensome requirements are posed on clinics, designed to shut them down without any basis in medical standards [5].
The human cost of these policies is devastating, as seen in the tragic story of Josseli Barnica,who was caught in the legal crossfire of Texas’s extremely restrictive policies and was denied life-saving treatment whilst suffering a miscarriage [6]. Doctors denied Josseli care, fearing legal consequences for intervening. Ultimately, Josseli was forced to wait more than 40 hours for the fetal heartbeat to stop, and as a result, she died from an infection. This is not an isolated incident, but an epidemic occurring in many states. The implementation of restrictive abortion policies limits essential healthcare for pregnant women, leading to preventable tragedies such as Josseli’s death. Some argue women in Texas can travel to states without abortion bans, but this ignores many factors such as time, money, and other resources needed to do so.
Barnica’s case underscores a broader crisis disproportionately affecting marginalized communities. Maternal death rates in Texas rose across all racial groups from 2019 to 2022. Hispanic women saw an increase from 14.5 to 18.9 deaths per 100,000 births [1]. White women experienced a near doubling, from 20 to 39.1 deaths [1]. Black women faced the highest rates, rising from 31.6 to 43.6 deaths per 100,000 births [1]. This data highlights the tangible consequences of restrictive abortion policies. Women are dying at higher rates since the overturn of Roe v. Wade.
These alarming statistics are prompting healthcare professionals to speak out, calling for urgent policy changes to protect women’s lives OB-GYNs and other healthcare professionals also demand changes when put in difficult positions. In November 2024, 111 OB-GYNS in Texas wrote a letter to state leaders urging them to change abortion policies hindering lifesaving care to pregnant women [7]. Healthcare providers find themselves in ethical dilemmas as they cannot provide basic care due fear of prosecution, forcing doctors to withhold critical care – a position fundamentally contradicting their Hippocratic oath.
The lives of pregnant women, particularly those in marginalized communities are at risk. The recent increase in maternal mortality rates is proof of the direct consequence of these policies. The future of reproductive rights remains uncertain, as President Trump has made it clear he supports restrictive abortion policies [8]. We need to take action now to address this crisis by advocating for legislative reforms to expand exceptions for abortion, and support healthcare professionals who are advocating for change. Every day we do nothing, more women die as politicians rip away their basic right to control their own bodies and make their own choices about life and death.
Works Cited
[1] “Pregnancy Deaths Rose by 56% in Texas after 2021 Abortion Ban, Analysis Finds.” NBCNews.com, September 21, 2024.
https://www.nbcnews.com/health/womens-health/texas-abortion-ban-deaths-pregnant-women-sb8-analysis-rcna171631.
[2] “Roe v. Wade Overturned: Our Latest Resources.” Guttmacher Institute, November 21, 2024. https://www.guttmacher.org/abortion-rights-supreme-court
[3] Moskowitz, Dan. “10 Largest Cities in the U.S.” Investopedia. Accessed December 11, 2024. https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/050815/top-10-most-developed-cities-us.asp.
[4] “List of U.S. States by Population.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Accessed December 11, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/topic/largest-U-S-state-by-population.
[5] Institute, Guttmacher. “Interactive Map: US Abortion Policies and Access after Roe.” Interactive Map: US Abortion Policies and Access After Roe | Guttmacher Institute. Accessed December 11, 2024.
https://states.guttmacher.org/policies/texas/abortion-policies.
[6] “Texas Woman Died after Being Denied Miscarriage Care Due to Abortion Ban, Report Finds.” The Guardian, October 30, 2024.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/30/texas-woman-death-abortion-ban-miscarriage.
[7] Salhotra, Pooja. “Texas OB-Gyns Urge Lawmakers to Change Abortion Laws after Reports on Pregnant Women’s Deaths.” The Texas Tribune, November 3, 2024. https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/03/texas-ob-gyn-letter-abortion-laws/.
[8] NBCNews. “Trump: ‘I Was Able to Kill Roe v. Wade.’” NBC News, May 17, 2023. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-was-able-kill-roe-v-wade-rcna84897.
Photo Credit: Lorie Shaull (via Flikr), My body my choice sign at a Stop Abortion Bans Rally in St Paul, Minnesota, https://flic.kr/p/2eMf2mf
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