Imagine having to drive your spouse to another hospital for care. You have already lost your child, and now you aren’t sure if your loved one will live either. Horrible, right? But all too real. In the span of two weeks, news circulated of two stories about women being denied access to an abortion with one story ending in a fatality. Anna Nusslock was expected to have twins but was told they would not survive. She was denied access to an abortion at a Catholic-affiliated hospital in California despite being told that she could face infection, hemorrhaging, and risks to her fertility. The hospital still refused to perform the procedure because there was still the presence of a fetal heartbeat, even though she was told she might not survive the 20-minute drive to the nearest facility.
The Politicization of Healthcare Kills
Amber Thurman’s story ended fatally. She had traveled from Georgia to North Carolina to get a legal abortion since Georgia has a six-week ban in place. A few days after returning to Georgia, she developed an infection due to retained fetal tissue. Amber needed a D&C (dilation and curettage) to remove the rest, but what should’ve been a simple procedure ended up escalating quickly. Georgia’s abortion ban made doctors too scared to perform the procedure until they were certain Amber was in critical condition. The doctors waited too long, and she died on the operating table.
Worsening Outcomes for Parents and Infants
These bans have increased the gap even further in healthcare equity for women, who already face so many complications in the medical system. These horror stories are ongoing, with ProPublica’s recent piece on Josseli Barnica who died from delayed care. It isn’t just women who are facing painful or fatal effects though. Between October 2022 and early 2023, overall infant mortality rates increased by 7%. That’s the equivalent of 247 excess infant deaths.
Abortion access is something that around 63% of Americans think should be legal in all cases. Many see it as a woman’s right, and that it should be seen as healthcare. Even Melania Trump, the wife of former president Donald Trump who nominated the Supreme Court justices that rolled back Roe, stated in her newest book that she believed abortion access was a woman’s right.
These bans affect our healthcare system as well, with states surrounding those with abortion bans shouldering an undue portion of the burden. This is showcased in Taylor Edwards’ story. Edwards was told if she carried her baby to term, the baby would likely die slowly and painfully due to her condition, so she planned to fly to New Mexico to receive care. However, she was called a few hours before her flight to let her know the clinic had run out of the resources needed due to heightened demand. It prolonged what she called a “nightmare.”
A Decision Best Left to the Patient and their Doctor
In some cases, these are people excitedly expecting a child who are forced to make decisions they could’ve never expected. On top of that, some are forced to wait in physical agony until doctors feel certain they can do their job without legal repercussions. Even IVF has been left in a limbo state until clinics are certain on how to navigate their practices after Alabama’s supreme court stated frozen embryos are children. Abortion access is safer when left in the hands of patients and their healthcare providers. Until this happens, more and more of these stories of the suffering and death of women and infants will undoubtedly be heard.
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