Texas Woman’s Death Highlights Dangers of Strict Abortion Laws

A recent investigation by ProPublica has shed light on the tragic death of Josseli Barnica, a 28-year-old woman in Texas, who died after receiving delayed medical care for a miscarriage due to the state’s stringent abortion laws. Barnica’s case is one of at least two documented by ProPublica where women in Texas lost their lives following delayed treatment for miscarriages, which are complicated by the state’s laws prohibiting abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected.

Barnica was admitted to a Houston hospital in September 2021, just after Texas Senate Bill 8, known as the “fetal heartbeat bill,” came into effect. Despite her miscarriage being in progress, doctors told her they could not intervene until the fetal heartbeat ceased, citing that intervening would be considered a “crime” under the new law. This delay resulted in a 40-hour wait, during which her uterus was exposed to bacteria, leading to severe infection and ultimately sepsis.

Medical experts who reviewed Barnica’s hospital and autopsy records described her death as “preventable,” “horrific,” and “egregious.” The delayed care was in stark contrast to standard medical practices advocated by major medical organizations, which recommend early intervention such as hastening labor with medication or performing a dilation and evacuation to clear the uterus in such situations.

The incident has sparked significant debate and criticism, particularly from Democratic lawmakers and women’s reproductive rights advocates. In response to the ProPublica report, a group of Texas Democrats, doctors, and advocates held a news conference to highlight the dangers of the state’s abortion restrictions. They argued that the laws are not only restrictive but also vague, leading to unnecessary deaths and putting women’s lives at risk.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has defended the state’s laws, arguing that they protect both the fetus and the pregnant individual. However, critics contend that these laws have chilling effects on medical professionals, who fear legal repercussions, imprisonment, and loss of their medical licenses if they provide necessary care that could be interpreted as violating the law.

The case has also drawn attention to the broader implications of abortion restrictions post the U.S. Supreme Court‘s 2022 ruling on Roe v. Wade. Several states under Republican control have imposed similar restrictions, leading to concerns about maternal health and access to critical care.