The Access: Pregnancy Post Roe

Many people do not understand that the risk of maternal mortality is not just about the dangers of childbirth itself but the continuing effects of pregnancy and delivery, which may not show up until months later like high blood pressure, heart conditions, infections, or hemorrhage. The maternal mortality rate in the United States has been higher than in any other major industrialized country for more than two decades.

The case of Zurawski v. State of Texas was aimed to clarify the scope of these medical exceptions and to allow doctors to use their professional judgment in determining when an abortion is medically necessary. Their experiences highlight the real-world consequences of the state's abortion bans and the fear among doctors of facing legal repercussions.

This episode highlights the original plaintiffs who joined Amanda Zurawski in her lawsuit against the state of Texas.

The interplay between abortion bans and the lawsuits challenging them is shaping the future of reproductive rights in the U.S., with profound implications for individuals, healthcare, and society as a whole.

This episode focuses on some lawsuits filed and ruled upon since the Dobbs decision in 2022.

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To stay up-to-date on the latest developments, it's recommended to follow resources like:

• The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
  • https://www.aclu.org/
• The Guttmacher Institute
  • https://www.guttmacher.org/
• The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF)
  • https://www.kff.org/
• The Brennan Center for Justice
  • https://www.brennancenter.org/

The first lawsuit we will focus on is Zurawski v. State of Texas.

This is a significant legal case that addresses the complexities of medical exceptions within Texas's restrictive abortion laws. This lawsuit includes 20 women and 2 doctors. We will highlight each plaintiff and the impact of Texas’s abortion bans in the next few weeks.

The lead plaintiff in this case is a woman named Amanda Zurawski, from Austin, Texas. When Amanda was 18 weeks pregnant, she experienced pre-term labor rupture of membranes. She was denied abortion care due to doctors still detecting fetal cardiac activity. Three days after being denied abortion care, Amanda started showing signs of infection and was diagnosed with sepsis, which is a life-threatening condition.

This episode concludes the remaining plaintiffs in Zurawski v. State of Texas. Being forced to carry a pregnancy to term when the fetus has a condition deemed a fetal anomaly, mainly if that condition is fatal or severely debilitating, presents a deeply distressing and ethically complex situation for women.

Women face the agonizing reality of knowing their baby will likely not survive or will have a very short and difficult life while still experiencing the physical and emotional changes of pregnancy. This anticipatory grief can be overwhelming and isolating.

These are the stories of the brave women who joined together against the State of Texas and its abortion bans.

If you or someone you know has a story they would like to share, please reach out to our email: [email protected]