The Women Nearly Killed by Texas’ Abortion Ban

photos by Jana Birchum

Austinite Amanda Zurawski had gone through a year and a half of fertility treatments when she became pregnant. At 18 weeks, she started miscarrying. Doctors told her she couldn't abort because the fetus had a faint heartbeat and Zurawski wasn't (yet) dying. Three days later she developed life-­threatening sepsis, and only then were doctors able to perform a lifesaving abortion. Here, Zurawski speaks at the Capitol March 7 about the Center for Reproductive Rights lawsuit that could enforce more reasonable exceptions to Texas' near-total abortion ban. Behind her, fellow plaintiffs Anna Zargarian, also from Austin, and Lauren Miller, from Dallas.

Austinite Anna Zargarian gives a tearful testimony before the Capitol – Zargarian was 19 weeks pregnant when her water broke, making survival for her fetus impossible and putting Zargarian at risk of severe infection, internal bleeding, and sepsis. With symptoms of infection, Zargarian boarded a flight to Colorado to receive an abortion. "I had to fly during a medical crisis. ... As a human being and as a patient I felt like I had no choice during that nightmare."