Texas Woman Forced to Leave State for Abortion Care After Landmark Law

Kate Cox, a 31-year-old woman from Texas, sought an emergency abortion due to severe fetal abnormalities.

[{"selector":"#anim-9e56dd31-fd38-4b4b-8cdf-e6f34313a4a8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-37e35657-352e-4923-9ed7-fc08d71e04db","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

The Texas Supreme Court temporarily halts abortion after a favorable court decision.

[{"selector":"#anim-b494fa78-b601-4c66-8572-14953b217bb3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d5033782-e13a-4508-8158-3e0e4a5531ba","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bcd1cd85-4a78-42db-826c-649e166f3fae [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Cox's health was at risk and she faced legal challenges due to Texas' strict abortion ban.

[{"selector":"#anim-d26d03b1-8ab9-4941-b905-78ede778413d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4d42f4cd-37ee-4017-a441-2c2714080859","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6402e282-79e6-4db5-ac4d-724cb1fc321f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

The Texas Supreme Court, composed of Republicans, has not yet made a final decision.

[{"selector":"#anim-95f70b5d-376d-466c-82fd-61e047fbff1f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-50e00c65-8daa-4c56-8a11-47ea46a7afaf","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-911b6996-c7b8-4d4e-9e48-5e12db6b8f3e [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-34.179687404002955%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

Even though abortion care was available in other states and countries, Cox left Texas to seek treatment.

[{"selector":"#anim-69924aee-33e8-49da-9da7-a06bc1e589db","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6d9080f7-fb58-4816-8b46-b364e7b8e9e2","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b59c2bee-3948-4a28-b7cd-405826ecd708 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-2.531250031828506%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Cox’s lawsuit highlights the dangers of abortion bans and the ineffectiveness of exceptions.

[{"selector":"#anim-05b3299a-3fe7-4bdc-9382-d9ba0d588f82","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f46f8f08-bc90-45fe-b3a6-dc1f1289d95c","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3a4805a6-039a-468c-932a-d6dd41737556 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(37.31445307259488%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

Cox's baby was diagnosed with complete trisomy 18 and is at high risk for miscarriage or stillbirth.

[{"selector":"#anim-b5433932-e7a7-4a6f-bf86-6030c7c96159","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-86874f3e-4e28-41dc-bc68-b9db1117bcc7","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ceab2fe6-b38f-4f80-84f4-36f10d4bb934 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(24.955859199343518%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

Doctors informed Cox of the risks of continuing the pregnancy, including possible health complications.

[{"selector":"#anim-71bfa881-e45f-41ed-b68d-7cea2bf9d346","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f77b893f-d5cf-4be9-affc-a8803f4839af","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8acc7a20-09db-43cf-872c-43dead752dfb [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-57.430538198287465%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

Texas has implemented multiple abortion bans that impact access to abortion services.

[{"selector":"#anim-3473e703-3453-4a7c-84a1-269ac6b67ab3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-25825538-5a26-4bfe-a811-b986e66a4e5b","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-77862cb3-b850-466c-a328-c10520c62175 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(44.72398759718719%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

Texas Attorney General Paxton argued that fertility risks are not considered life-threatening conditions under state law.

[{"selector":"#anim-fd46f3c0-7d53-473d-9cc6-a3e6698ffc20","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-56a3dec6-f68c-40ca-8cce-a6bd9b909be3","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dc2bd78a-7a28-471a-933c-c94086b9269e [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(43.80258411409251%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more