Five women in Texas are suing the state over its abortion law, claiming that the law prevented them from having abortions despite their pregnancies posing life-threatening risks. The lawsuit is significant because it is the first one filed over abortion denials after the Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade decision. The women are calling on the court to clarify what exceptions the Texas abortion laws allow.
Under Texas law, abortions are generally banned, but there are some exceptions. One of these is for a “life-threatening physical condition aggravated, caused by, or arising from a pregnancy that places the female at risk of death or poses a serious risk of substantial impairment of a major bodily function.” The women in the lawsuit claim that they fell under this exception but were still denied abortions.
“The lawsuit aims to hold the state of Texas accountable for the consequences of multiple harmful abortion bans on pregnant people facing obstetric complications,” the Center for Reproductive Rights said on Twitter.
The Center for Reproductive Rights is representing the women in the case and has said that the lawsuit aims to hold the state of Texas accountable for the harmful consequences of multiple abortion bans on pregnant people facing obstetric complications. One of the plaintiffs in the case, Amanda Zurawsk was invited by First lady Jill Biden invited Zurawski to last month’s State of the Union speech after her case received national attention.
Pro-life groups, such as the Susan B. Anthony List, have countered saying that all states with abortion bans have exemptions for necessary and timely medical treatment to save the life of a pregnant woman in an emergency.
