Texas governor's ban on abortions last spring led to out-of-state treks, more second-trimester

[TexasTowelie]

Texas governor's ban on abortions last spring led to out-of-state treks, more second-trimester procedures


Gov. Greg Abbott's order pausing abortion care at the outset of the pandemic resulted in larger numbers of Texas women going out of state for the procedure or delaying it until the second trimester, according to a new study.

The Republican governor's order, enacted March 22 over the objections of professional medical associations, paused all surgeries not deemed "medically necessary" — including abortions. Abbott, a staunch abortion opponent, argued the hold would preserve PPE and ensure medical resources remained available for COVID-19 patients.

The new study — published in the peer-reviewed JAMA — found that the number of in-state abortions decreased during Abbott's order, while out-of-state abortions increased. After the order was lifted in May, the number of second-trimester abortions also jumped significantly.

Both increases suggest Texas women didn't view abortion care as "medically unnecessary," said study author Dr. Kari White, an associate professor of social work and sociology at the University of Texas at Austin.

Read more: https://www.sacurrent.com/the-daily/archives/2021/01/05/texas-governors-ban-on-abortions-last-spring-led-to-out-of-state-treks-more-second-trimester-procedures