Texas abortion ban kills teenager as she experienced pregnancy complications: Reports
File photo.
An 18-year-old in Texas died after the US state's abortion ban stopped her from getting life-saving medical care while experiencing pregnancy complications, American media reported on Monday (Nov 4) citing New York-based investigative journalism organisation ProPublica.
The victim was identified as Nevaeh Crain and she died in late October 2023. Crain was six months pregnant when she developed Sepsis while suffering a miscarriage.
What happened?
October 28, 2023, was Crain's baby shower. According to the report by ProPublica, she woke up with a headache on that day and developed a fever followed by nausea and vomiting.
The report said that Crain struggled through her baby shower.By 3 pm local time, her family decided to take her to the emergency room.
The 18-year-old's boyfriend Randall Broussard drove her to a nearby hospital where they sat in the waiting room for four hours.
Following her testing, she wasdiagnosed with strep throat. ProPublica reported that Crain was also experiencingabdominal painbut her pregnancy was not evaluated.
She was discharged and prescribed antibiotics.
However, in the middle of the night, she woke up her motherCandace Fails, complaining of intense stomach pains. Fails drove her daughter to a different hospital where the 18-year-old was found to have a high fever and high pulse. Crainshowed signs of Sepsis.
Victim discharged again
At the hospital with her mother, Crain was givenIV fluids and antibiotics for two hours, but her condition continued to decline. ProPublica reported she also had a urinary tract infection.
However, a nurse checked that her baby had a heartbeat so she was free to be discharged from the hospital with more antibiotics. Unable to walk, she was taken home in a wheelchair.
On the morning of October 29, she cried in pain and was back in the hospital by 9 am local time. She was suffering a miscarriage.
Medical staff started Crain on IV antibiotics and the OB-GYN on duty also reported that she couldn’t find a fetal heartbeat at the time.
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The near-total ban on abortion in the statemeant that doctors could not do anything to remove the unviable foetus unless the 18-year-old's life was at risk.
A second ultrasound was performed on her which confirmed fetal demise. Her mother signed a form to allow her daughter to undergo an unplanned cesarean section.
However, doctors decided that it was too late to perform the procedure.
Crain's blood pressure had plummeted and her organs began failing. The 18-year-old died in the intensive care unit hours after she was hospitalised on October 29 last year.
According to medical experts, Crain would have survived if she had received proper care.
A look at the Texas abortion law
The Texas abortion lawprohibits abortions unless the pregnancy places the woman at risk of death or "substantial impairment of a major bodily function."
In October this year, the US Supreme Courtdeclined to hear a bid by the Joe Bidenadministration to enforce in Texas federal guidance requiring hospitals to perform abortions if needed to stabilise a patient's emergency medical condition.
The administration issued the guidance in July 2022 to protect access to abortion after the Supreme Court's conservative majority the previous month overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that had legalised abortion across the US.
(With inputs from agencies)