Restrictive Abortion Laws Linked to Preventable Maternal Deaths in Texas

ProPublica has recently highlighted a preventable fatality that is associated with Texas' abortion ban for the third time in a month. Porsha Ngumezi, a 35-year-old mother of two, passed away in June 2023 as a result of a miscarriage at Houston Methodist Sugar Land.

Ngumezi's case emphasizes the complexities and hazards that result from Texas' abortion restrictions. Ngumezi was not promptly administered a life-saving dilation and curettage (D&C) procedure, a standard treatment for miscarriages, despite their history of severe hemorrhaging and a known blood clotting disorder. Instead, physicians selected misoprostol, a medication that was designed to facilitate the passage of any remaining tissue, but it was unable to halt the hemorrhaging.

Before succumbing to her condition, Ngumezi experienced heavy bleeding for more than six hours. She required two transfusions. The delays and the deviation from established care protocols were criticized by medical experts who reviewed the case, who labeled her death as wholly preventable.

ProPublica has reported on a broader trend in Texas, where clinicians are hesitant to perform D&Cs because of legal and administrative obstacles. This incident is indicative of this trend. The procedure, which frequently overlaps with abortion methods, has become entangled in the state's stringent abortion laws, causing some physicians to avoid it out of concern for legal repercussions.

Ngumezi's death occurs in the wake of other disasters, such as the deaths of Josseli Barnica and 18-year-old Neveah Crain, who respectively experienced delays in receiving critical miscarriage care.

Doctors and advocates caution that these cases underscore systemic issues, as the fear of prosecution influences medical practices, thereby increasing the risk to patients. The increasing number of preventable deaths is prompting calls for legislative reform to safeguard maternal health without sacrificing care.