Team,

It seems obvious that when it comes to essential, life-saving health care, where you live should never determine whether or not you live or die.

That's what Lauren Hall and Lauren Miller reiterated just a few weeks ago because both women were forced to travel outside of Texas to obtain essential, life-saving abortions after being denied care in their home state of Texas.

They, along with three other women and two Texas obstetrician-gynecologists, are plaintiffs in a case that the Center for Reproductive Rights filed this month against the state of Texas that seeks to clarify the scope of the state's "medical emergency" exception under its extreme abortion bans.

"We fear everything."

Lauren Hall discovered at 18 weeks pregnant that her fetus had anencephaly, a condition that would prevent it from developing a skull. As doctors told her, the condition was "incompatible with life," and her baby would not survive. On top of that, continuing the pregnancy posed severe risks to Lauren, including hemorrhage and pre-term birth.

Although Lauren wanted an abortion, her obstetrician refused to provide one or to help in any way. In addition, her medical specialist was afraid to give her a referral for an abortion out of state and refused to even send her medical records. Lauren was forced to travel out of state to obtain an abortion at a clinic outside of Seattle. She is now pregnant again, due in September but scared to be pregnant under the state's laws.

"Now that we are expecting again, we fear everything."

"They could do something but they're not, and it's killing us."

Lauren Miller was hospitalized at eight weeks of pregnancy for severe nausea, vomiting, and dehydration, and was diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum—a condition posing significant risks to the patient and her pregnancy. She also learned at that time she was pregnant with twins. But at 12 weeks, Lauren learned that one of her twins had trisomy 18—a condition that causes multiple structural abnormalities and makes the fetus unlikely to survive to birth.

Due to Texas's abortion bans, doctors denied Lauren a fetal reduction abortion procedure, despite it being necessary to give Lauren and the second fetus the best chance of survival. She traveled out of state to Colorado to obtain the fetal reduction abortion. Lauren has recovered and is expecting to give birth this month.

"They could do something but they’re not, and it's killing us."

Both Lauren Hall and Lauren Miller were forced to undergo the incredible stress of finding critical health care far from home during one of the most traumatic moments of their lives. They were thankfully able to get the live-saving care they needed, but we know that these options are not available to everyone.

We will keep fighting until everyone, no matter where they live, has access to essential abortion care.

We'll keep you updated as this groundbreaking case continues,

Molly Duane
Senior Staff Attorney