A group of 111 OB-GYNs in Texas has urged state lawmakers to amend abortion laws that they claim hinder their ability to provide lifesaving care to pregnant women. This follows reports of two women, Josseli Barnica and Nevaeh Crain, who died after medical staff delayed emergency care due to restrictive abortion laws. The doctors argue that these laws prevent them from offering quality, evidence-based care. The issue has become a focal point in the U.S. Senate race between Ted Cruz and Colin Allred, highlighting their opposing views on abortion.
A new survey from KFF shows that 64% of OB-GYNs believe that the overturning of Roe v. Wade has led to more maternal deaths, with 70% saying it has worsened racial and ethnic inequities. The survey also found that 55% of OB-GYNs practicing where abortion is banned say their ability to practice within the standard of care has become worse. Additionally, the decision has impacted miscarriage care, with four in 10 OB-GYNs in restricted states saying they have faced constraints caring for patients experiencing miscarriages and other pregnancy-related emergencies.
Idaho state Rep. Lauren Necochea emotionally expressed that she would be terrified to have her daughters try to carry a pregnancy in Idaho due to the state's criminal abortion law, which has created confusion among doctors and pushed OB-GYNs out of the state. A bill was introduced to clear up some of the language, but some doctors are still unsure about the line between saving a pregnant person's life and being convicted of a felony if they perform the procedure. Idaho has some of the strictest abortion laws in the country, and people have reported difficulty accessing even routine healthcare procedures.
