Abortion Bans Caused Delayed Care, Families Demand Justice
Tuesday marked the third anniversary of Amber Nicole Thurman’s unfortunate and preventable death due to the state’s abortion ban. Families, advocates, and communities continue to grapple with the impact of state abortion bans on miscarriage care and the deaths of several women in Georgia and Texas.
Amber’s mother, Shanette Williams, along with the family of Candi Miller and several community leaders, held a vigil in remembrance of the two women. Instead of grieving the loss of a pregnancy and getting necessary follow-up support, families were left to mourn the loss of a loved one who never received the care they deserved. Williams continues to share her daughter’s story in the hope that it will prevent other families from suffering.
“Three years ago, my entire family’s lives changed forever,” she said in a statement. “When I found out what really happened to Amber, my grief turned into a fight and I became an advocate for our rights. This fight is not just about me and my family – I am fighting for change for every woman – and we are going to get change.”
Traveling to Atlanta for the vigil, Turiya Tomlin-Randall, Candi Miller’s sister, drew a sharp connection between what happened to her sister and the broader fight for reproductive rights.
“We shouldn’t have to do this, but we wake up every day and face the loss of our loved ones,” Tomlin-Randall said in a statement. “My sister’s children will never get to see their mother again because Georgia law left her too afraid to go to the hospital. This is going to continue to happen. That is why we have to speak up and fight these attacks on reproductive rights. No one should be telling us what we’re able to do with our bodies.”
Experts and advocates have long raised concerns about the broad impact of near-total abortion bans and the legislating of doctors’ ability to make necessary medical decisions. Several investigations by ProPublica have examined the effects of these bans on pregnancy care and health outcomes, exposing the harm to several women and the potential harm of unchecked policy more broadly, particularly in Texas.
Earlier this week, the Dallas Morning News released a new investigative series, titled “Standard of Fear,” exploring the effects of the Texas abortion ban. A part of the series examines the deaths of Porsha Ngumezi and Brenda Yolani Arzu Ramirez, both of whom experienced delays in their care.
According to reports, hospital officials refused to perform a D&C (dilation and curettage) to address the bleeding and remove remaining tissue from Porsha’s uterus. She bled for 10 hours before her heart stopped. In an interview with the outlet, Porsha’s husband, Hope Ngumezi, shared how his wife died two years ago at Houston Methodist Sugar Land after having a miscarriage.
“There was plenty of time to intervene,” he told interviewers. “Every day I think about how our life would be if she was here.”
SEE ALSO:
Missouri Abortion Ban Struck Down By Judge…Again
Missouri Supreme Court Reinstates Voter-Repealed Abortion Ban
Louisiana Lawmakers Vote Against Adding Rape Exception To Abortion Ban