HEALTH
How Black Woman’s Preventable Death Exposes Danger of Abortion Bans
Doctors hesitated to operate and save Amber Thurman’s life
As the battle over women’s rights is waged on America’s political battlefield, a Black woman has become the first reported casualty. Women’s rights advocates warned healthcare would be compromised if state-wide abortion bans went into effect. Now, we’re seeing this play out in real-time as doctors hesitate to provide life-saving care due to their fear of being held criminally liable. For instance, “at least two women in Georgia died after they couldn’t access legal abortions and timely medical care,” according to a ProPublica report. Amber Nicole Thurman, a 28-year-old Black mother and medical assistant, has been named as the first “preventable” death resulting from an abortion ban.
How did this tragedy happen? After taking abortion pills at home, Amber suffered a rare complication, as the fetal tissue did not naturally expel from her body. She sought help from doctors at the Piedmont Henry Hospital, where they could perform a dilation and curettage procedure. However, a new Georgia law characterized the procedure as a felony. Any doctor who provides abortion care in the state could serve up to a decade in prison. While the facility had well-trained staff, doctors there…
