Despite serious medical complications, thirteen Texas women were denied their right to abortion. They will testify this Wednesday, July 19 in a very scrutinized trial where they will attack the American State in court. They will ask him to clarify the medical exceptions to the laws now banning abortion in this conservative state.
According to their complaint filed in March, these exceptions are too vaguely defined, causing doctors to fear performing an abortion, even in this context. Texas laws provide for heavy fines and up to 99 years in prison for doctors performing illegal abortions.
One of the complainants, Amanda Zurawski, told AFP in June that her waters broke at 18 weeks in a wanted pregnancy, and the hospital refused to intervene until she showed signs of infection, even though she was told the fetus would not survive.
She was only able to obtain an abortion three days later, after suffering from sepsis, which led her to spend several days in intensive care and resulted in the loss of one of her tubes.
Since the US Supreme Court gave states back the freedom to legislate abortion themselves, Texas has banned all abortions at any stage of pregnancy, including cases of incest or rape. Only exception: in case of danger of death or risk of serious disability for the mother.
Despite this exception, the “hostile” context has a chilling effect on doctors, noted the Center for Reproductive Rights, which represents the 13 female plaintiffs. Two gynecologists also took part in the complaint. “As a result, the Texas patients suffered significant physical harm and psychological anguish,” the organization said in a statement.
During the hearing, the Center will ask for the implementation of an emergency measure: the temporary suspension in cases of medical complications of the law prohibiting abortion, while the case is studied on the merits by justice. This action “is necessary to end the current public health crisis caused by confusion and uncertainty around the medical exception to Texas abortion bans,” he said.
The state of Texas, on the other hand, claims that the definition of the medical exception proposed by the complaint would amount to “permitting abortions for pregnant women with medical concerns ranging from a headache to a feeling of depression”. He claims that the complaint be dismissed, even before the complainants are heard. The hearing is scheduled to begin Wednesday morning in Austin and continue Thursday.