Summary

Texas’ strict abortion ban is causing doctors to avoid life-saving dilation and curettage (D&C) procedures, used to remove pregnancy tissue after miscarriages, due to fear of legal repercussions.

Porsha Ngumezi, 35, died in June 2023 after doctors at Houston Methodist Sugar Land gave her misoprostol—a slower, riskier treatment—instead of performing a D&C, despite severe hemorrhaging.

Experts say her death was preventable.

Miscarriage care delays and denials have risen statewide, with physicians hesitant to act under unclear legal protections.

Critics argue the law prioritizes criminal penalties over patient safety, leading to preventable deaths.