ProPublica, a nonprofit newsroom focused on investigating abuses of power, discovered through a groundbreaking data analysis that pregnancy has become significantly more dangerous in Texas following the state’s 2021 abortion ban. The analysis revealed that the rate of sepsis increased by more than 50% among women hospitalized due to second-trimester pregnancy loss. This surge was particularly notable among patients whose fetuses still had a heartbeat upon hospital admission.
Prior reports by ProPublica highlighted cases where miscarrying women in Texas succumbed to sepsis after physicians deferred uterine evacuation. Such procedures would legally be considered abortions under the current state law, which threatens up to 99 years of imprisonment for providing abortions. The data analysis shows a marked increase in maternal mortality in Texas hospitals post-ban, surpassing pre-pandemic rates, while national maternal mortality rates declined.
ProPublica’s comprehensive analysis focused on pregnancy-related infections, using seven years of hospital discharge data from Texas. The findings signaled a steep rise in severe health complications for women experiencing pregnancy loss in the state, suggesting similar scenarios may be unfolding in other states with similar abortion bans.
Maternal health experts, who reviewed ProPublica’s analysis, argue that the abortion ban has resulted in dangerous delays in care, despite its allowance for “medical emergency” exceptions. The lack of a clear emergency definition has caused enforcement ambiguity. Some Texas doctors claim they are unable to provide care that aligns with standard medical guidelines due to legal constraints. Additionally, physicians wait until definitive signs, like the absence of a fetal heartbeat, before intervening to avoid potential legal repercussions.
Texas legislators are contemplating amending the abortion ban, motivated by previous reporting that highlighted severe health outcomes. Despite these considerations, the state’s maternal mortality review committee has not examined pertinent death data from 2022 and 2023, opting for what it describes as “a more contemporary” view beginning in 2024, a decision some see as neglectful of individuals impacted during the intervening period.
ProPublica expanded its analysis beyond individual cases, assessing general maternal hospitalization and mortality rates, discovering a 33% rise in maternal deaths in Texas from 2019 to 2023, as the national rate decreased. This rise is attributed by some experts to the legal restrictions imposed by the abortion ban.
Legislative discussions continue in Texas as policymakers explore possible changes to the ban. Various bills have been proposed, including some to allow for abortion in the interest of preserving maternal health, although no public hearings have yet been scheduled. Critics argue that the existing law’s ambiguity continues to impede doctors’ ability to provide timely and potentially life-saving medical care.
ProPublica remains committed to highlighting these issues and encourages individuals affected by similar laws to share their experiences to better understand the broader impact of such legislative actions.
