Amber Nicole Thurman’s death from an infection in 2022 is believed to be the first confirmed maternal fatality linked to post-Roe bans.

Reproductive justice advocates have been warning for more than two years that the end of Roe v. Wade would lead to surge in maternal mortality among patients denied abortion care—and that the increase was likely to be greatest among low-income women of color. Now, a new report by ProPublica has uncovered the first such verified death. A 28-year-old medical assistant and Black single mother in Georgia died from a severe infection after a hospital delayed a routine medical procedure that had been outlawed under that state’s six-week abortion ban.

Amber Nicole Thurman’s death, in August 2022, was officially deemed “preventable” by a state committee tasked with reviewing pregnancy-related deaths. Thurman’s case is the first time a preventable abortion-related death has come to public attention since the Supreme Court overturned Roe, ProPublica’s Kavitha Surana reported.

Now, “we actually have the substantiated proof of something we already knew—that abortion bans kill people,” said Mini Timmaraju, president of the abortion-rights group Reproductive Freedom for All, during a call with media. “It cannot go on.”

  • Jo Miran
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    89
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    3 months ago

    It has never been “pro-life” or about saving the lives of “children”. This has always been about controlling women.

    • banshee@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      16
      ·
      3 months ago

      Most aren’t aware, but this is the crux of the issue. Evangelicals do not value equity and presume others are ignorant/incorrect.

    • brbposting@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      5
      ·
      3 months ago

      Doubtless you have that. Off the top of my head, you should expect to find:

      1. Those who want to control women.
      2. Those who are uncomfortable with the control aspect but want to get elected.
      3. Pro choice people who want to get elected.
      4. A mix of comfort and discomfort with the ideas of pro choice and controlling women, but still want to get elected.