Texas women denied abortions for #ectopic #pregnancies
demand federal investigation
Two women say hospitals violated emergency care laws by denying treatment for life-threatening condition
Two Texas women who were denied abortion care for life-threatening ectopic pregnancies have filed complaints with the Biden administration calling for investigations into the hospitals for violating federal law.
An #ectopic #pregnancy is a dangerous condition in which the fertilized egg implants in the fallopian tube instead of the uterus.
It has no chance of developing into a healthy pregnancy.
One of the complaints details how Kyleigh Thurman, a 25-year-old woman from Burnet, Texas,
was turned away at Ascension Williamson hospital in February,
even though her OB-GYN told the hospital she probably had an ectopic pregnancy.
Days later, she returned, #bleeding and in severe #pain, but only received treatment after her OB-GYN traveled to the hospital
“to plead with the medical staff” to terminate Thurman’s ectopic pregnancy.
However,
the delay caused her ectopic pregnancy to rupture.
Thurman nearly bled to death and was forced into emergency surgery to remove her fallopian tube.
Her ability to have children is now compromised.
According to the second complaint, Kelsie Norris-De La Cruz experienced a similar harrowing ordeal at Texas Health Arlington Memorial hospital, outside Dallas.
By the time she received treatment, her pregnancy was near rupture.
Norris-De La Cruz lost a fallopian tube and most of her right ovary.
Ectopic pregnancy is the leading cause of maternal mortality in the first trimester, comprising up to 10% of all pregnancy-related deaths nationwide.
“Despite the fact that my life was clearly in danger, the hospital told me that they could not help me.
I ended up losing half of my fertility and if I was made to wait any longer, it’s very likely I would have died,” said Norris-De La Cruz in a press release
https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/aug/13/texas-abortion-ectopic-pregnancy-investigation?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other