This week, the grim reality of the post-Roe era has been brought into sharp focus with the tragic story of Amber Nicole Thurman. The 28-year-old Georgia woman died in 2022 after her state’s restrictive abortion laws prevented doctors from performing a vital procedure to save her life.
Thurman, who had taken abortion pills, developed a rare complication and ended up in the hospital. Doctors were prepared to perform a dilation and curettage (D&C) to address the life-threatening infection, but Georgia’s anti-abortion laws prohibited the procedure. As a result, Thurman endured agonizing pain for 20 hours as her condition worsened, her blood pressure plummeted, and her organs began to fail. By the time doctors were finally able to operate, it was too late.
This heartbreaking case is not an isolated incident. ProPublica, the nonprofit news organization that published Thurman’s medical records, is set to release details of another similar case in the coming days. The organization believes that for every victim of restrictive abortion policies whose story is known, there are likely many more whose names and suffering remain hidden.
Vice President Kamala Harris has directly linked Thurman’s death to the “Trump abortion bans,” emphasizing the role of former President Donald Trump in appointing Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade. While Roe v. Wade fell during President Biden’s administration, the justices who made this historic decision were largely appointed by Trump.
This tragic situation underscores the urgent need to protect reproductive rights and ensure access to safe and legal abortion care. The Harris-Walz campaign is raising awareness of the devastating consequences of these policies, while advocating for national change. Until then, supporting local abortion funds can provide crucial support to women seeking reproductive healthcare.
