Do pro-life laws lead to preventable deaths?

Last month, Amber Thurman's tragic story went viral. An online Article detailed how the 28-year-old Georgian died unexpectedly from “acute severe sepsis” after taking the abortion pill while nine weeks pregnant with twins. While the article is distorted, it correctly states that Thurman's death was preventable – but not for the reasons presented.

As the reporter explains, Thurman's death was the inevitable result of a Georgia state law that protects unborn life after the sixth week of pregnancy. But nothing could be further from the truth.

As writtenThe law does not deny care to pregnant women experiencing a medical emergency, a “spontaneous abortion” (miscarriage), or a stillbirth. For purposes of the law, this is a medical emergency

a condition in which abortion is necessary to prevent the death of the pregnant woman or the significant and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function of the pregnant woman.

Georgia state law also allows the removal of an unborn child who died from a “spontaneous abortion,” miscarriage, or stillbirth. In such cases, medical professionals are not penalized for removing the deceased child from the womb.

Contrary to the reporter's account of the facts, there is nothing in Georgia's pro-life law that would have prevented Thurman from receiving the health care she needed. Thurman's condition clearly constituted a medical emergency. Had the doctors performed dilation and curettage (D&C) or even an abortion to save her life, they would have acted within the law.

In fact, there is no state whose laws deny health care to pregnant women or charge them criminally for abortion. In a recent congressional hearing, Senator James Lankford interviewed attorney Heather G. Hacker to clear up any confusion about state abortion laws. Here is an excerpt from the hearing:

Lankford: Ms. Hacker, just to be clear: Are there states where women are prosecuted for having an abortion?

hacker: NO.

Lankford: Are there states that criminalize miscarriages?

hacker: NO.

Lankford: Or care after a miscarriage?

hacker: NO.

Lankford: Are there states that criminalize the removal of an ectopic pregnancy?

hacker: NO.

Lankford: Are there states that prohibit life-saving care for the mother?

hacker: NO.

Lankford: Are there states where women have to be actively dying so that a doctor can care for them?

hacker: NO.

The problem is not pro-life laws. The problem is poor medical care and misinformation. According to the Georgia State Committee that reviewed Thurman's case, the hospital responsible for Thurman's care had a “lack of policies/procedures for immediate uterine evacuation.” The author even admits that it is not clear from the medical records why doctors delayed treatment.

A current one AP News One article noted that even in states that allow abortion, pregnant women have suffered an otherwise preventable loss. The hospitals studied here were understaffed, poorly equipped, and often had inadequately trained support teams.

A larger part of the problem is simply the intrinsic dangers of chemical abortion. Contrary to what Thurman's article claims, the abortion pill is far from safe. Research found that “one in five women experienced an adverse event after a chemical abortion, and the complication rate was high.” four times higher in chemical abortions compared to surgical abortions.” In fact, The FDA label warns against this that one in 25 women who take abortion medications end up in the emergency room.

For this reason, pro-life gynecologists and doctors have long advocated for better care for pregnant women and their unborn children. Christina Francis, a pro-life gynecologist noted:

There are rare but tragic situations in which pregnancy endangers the mother's life medical procedures for compassionately separating the mother and her baby and working to save both lives. The sole purpose of an abortion is to give birth to a dead child. Women deserve to be empowered by medically accurate information.

Thurman's preventable death was a tragedy. But poor care for pregnant women is not a reason to abolish pro-life laws and return to a system governed by them roe. Legalizing abortion kills babies, and that is certainly not a safer world.

The Breakpoint  was co-authored by Jared Hayden. If you are a fan of BreakpointLeave a review on your favorite podcast app. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, see breakpoint.org.