In a new op-ed for the Houston Chronicle, “Texas’ proposed abortion exceptions bill fails to recognize the complexities of pregnancy,” Dr. Kari White and Dr. Anitra Beasley discuss the limitations of Senate Bill 31.
The bill claims to clarify medical exceptions to Texas’ abortion laws but does not solve the real problem — pregnancies are by their nature complex with ever changing risk. The changes represent some forward progress, especially for the treatment of PPROM, but they are not a giant leap ahead. The bill keeps in place legal and financial penalties for physicians, while requiring a 1-hour training on what constitutes a medical emergency.
The authors argue that Senate Bill 31 will still leave out many Texans who need abortion care that does not fit into predetermined boxes. They will be forced to get care in another state or risk a tragic end to their pregnancy. Physicians should be empowered to use their clinical training — not a state-mandated one — to make evidence-based, patient-centered decisions without the threat of life-altering civil and criminal penalties if the state does not agree.
