Shooting the Messenger: Maternal Mortality Boards Under Threat in Some States with Abortion Restrictions

[essentialsaltes]

From the "Cases Will Go Down If We Stop Testing" files:

The first shoe to drop was in Idaho in 2023, where the state agency that investigates deaths of pregnant women was simply eliminated, despite running at no cost to the state.

This came amid a backdrop that includes not just the state's abortion ban, but increasing maternal mortality rates, the shutdown of maternity wards in some Idaho hospitals and the flight of OB/GYNs from the state.

Idaho Drops Panel Investigating Pregnancy-Related Deaths as US Maternal Mortality Surges​

On July 1, Idaho became the only state without a legal requirement or specialized committee to review maternal deaths related to pregnancy.

Much more recently, Georgia and Texas have been in the news.

Georgia fires entire maternal mortality panel after reporting on abortion ban deaths​

Georgia officials fired everyone on the Maternal Mortality Review Committee after ProPublica reported that the panel found the deaths of two women whose care was restricted by the state's abortion ban were preventable, the news outlet revealed Thursday.

ProPublica first exposed the committee's findings for Amber Nicole Thurman and Candi Miller in September, sparking a flood of criticism directed at abortion care restrictions

In a November 8 letter obtained by ProPublica, Georgia Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Kathleen Toomey wrote that an "investigation was unable to uncover which individual(s) disclosed confidential information" despite state law and confidential agreements signed by panel members barring such disclosures.

[So they were all fired and replaced.]

Texas committee won’t examine maternal deaths in first years after abortion ban​

The Texas committee that examines all pregnancy-related deaths in the state will not review cases from 2022 and 2023, the first two years after Texas’s near-total abortion ban took effect, leaving any potential deaths related to abortion bans during those years uninvestigated by the 23 doctors, medical professionals and other specialists who make up the group.

At least three women [that we know of] have died in Texas because of delays in care related to the abortion bans, according to reporting from ProPublica.

“If women are dying because of delays, and we have this huge new policy in Texas that affects their lives, why would we skip over those years?” one member of the Texas maternal mortality committee said, speaking on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retribution from government officials. “I’m worried.”


People here on the forums have asserted that these deaths were due to medical malpractice rather than the restrictions imposed by the new Texas law. With no formal medical review, hypothetical malpractitioners responsible for these women's deaths will not be revealed by this state board.

 

[The IbanezerScrooge]

From the "pro-life" and "all lives matter" bunch. Not so much as it turns out. smh.

 

[RileyG]

From the "pro-life" and "all lives matter" bunch. Not so much as it turns out. smh.

They are poorly written laws. You can’t lump all pro lifers into that group, sheesh

 

[essentialsaltes]

They are poorly written laws. You can’t lump all pro lifers into that group, sheesh

Are pro-life groups working to convince state legislators to improve these poorly written laws?

 

[The IbanezerScrooge]

They are poorly written laws. You can’t lump all pro lifers into that group, sheesh

"pro-lifers" voted for the people that wrote the laws. Conservatives champion this stuff. So, I can and I do. Need a new term. "Pro-life" ain't it.

 

[RileyG]

"pro-lifers" voted for the people that wrote the laws. Conservatives champion this stuff. So, I can and I do. Need a new term. "Pro-life" ain't it.

Can you read all of their minds. They aren’t responsible for how the laws are written, and yes I’m 100% pro life and I’m not even embarrassed by it.

Pro choice? What choice? Did the baby choose to die?

 

[RileyG]

Are pro-life groups working to convince state legislators to improve these poorly written laws?

Perhaps. Are you so sure?

 

[essentialsaltes]

Perhaps. Are you so sure?

I made no assertion. However, I am not aware of any.

 

[FenderTL5]

From the "Cases Will Go Down If We Stop Testing" files:

The first shoe to drop was in Idaho in 2023, where the state agency that investigates deaths of pregnant women was simply eliminated, despite running at no cost to the state.

This came amid a backdrop that includes not just the state's abortion ban, but increasing maternal mortality rates, the shutdown of maternity wards in some Idaho hospitals and the flight of OB/GYNs from the state.




Much more recently, Georgia and Texas have been in the news.

Georgia fires entire maternal mortality panel after reporting on abortion ban deaths​

Georgia officials fired everyone on the Maternal Mortality Review Committee after ProPublica reported that the panel found the deaths of two women whose care was restricted by the state's abortion ban were preventable, the news outlet revealed Thursday.

ProPublica first exposed the committee's findings for Amber Nicole Thurman and Candi Miller in September, sparking a flood of criticism directed at abortion care restrictions

In a November 8 letter obtained by ProPublica, Georgia Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Kathleen Toomey wrote that an "investigation was unable to uncover which individual(s) disclosed confidential information" despite state law and confidential agreements signed by panel members barring such disclosures.

[So they were all fired and replaced.]

Texas committee won’t examine maternal deaths in first years after abortion ban​

The Texas committee that examines all pregnancy-related deaths in the state will not review cases from 2022 and 2023, the first two years after Texas’s near-total abortion ban took effect, leaving any potential deaths related to abortion bans during those years uninvestigated by the 23 doctors, medical professionals and other specialists who make up the group.

At least three women [that we know of] have died in Texas because of delays in care related to the abortion bans, according to reporting from ProPublica.

“If women are dying because of delays, and we have this huge new policy in Texas that affects their lives, why would we skip over those years?” one member of the Texas maternal mortality committee said, speaking on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retribution from government officials. “I’m worried.”


People here on the forums have asserted that these deaths were due to medical malpractice rather than the restrictions imposed by the new Texas law. With no formal medical review, hypothetical malpractitioners responsible for these women's deaths will not be revealed by this state board.

If they're not counted, they don't count.
Just sweep it under the rug and pretend it doesn't happen.

 

[The IbanezerScrooge]

Can you read all of their minds. They aren’t responsible for how the laws are written, and yes I’m 100% pro life and I’m not even embarrassed by it.

Pro choice? What choice? Did the baby choose to die?

I don't need to. I see what is posted in forums, the complete lack of compassion for the women who have actually died because of these laws that are admitted to be "poorly written" by those who they vote for, the metaphorical, dismissive shoulder shrug followed by blaming the laws, the medical personnel, the women themselves, anything and everything but themselves.

"And ye shall know them by their fruits."

 

[RileyG]

I don't need to. I see what is posted in forums, the complete lack of compassion for the women who have actually died because of these laws that are admitted to be "poorly written" by those who they vote for, the metaphorical, dismissive shoulder shrug followed by blaming the laws, the medical personnel, the women themselves, anything and everything but themselves.

"And ye shall know them by their fruits."

You're right, it needs to be better written.

 

[johansen]

At least three women [that we know of] have died in Texas because of delays in care related to the abortion bans,

An abortion ban did not prevent an emergency C section which is what would happen in the case of dilation to 8.9Cm and the baby isnt moving for 40 hours.. but still has a heart beat.

At 17 weeks the head is 14 centimeters in circumference. Not diameter.

we're not aborting, we're delivering a baby that won't survive. not rocket science...

 

[RileyG]

An abortion ban did not prevent an emergency C section which is what would happen in the case of dilation to 8.9Cm and the baby isnt moving for 40 hours.. but still has a heart beat.

At 17 weeks the head is 14 centimeters in circumference. Not diameter.

we're not aborting, we're delivering a baby that won't survive. not rocket science...

Emergency care DOES NOT EUQAL abortion.

PERIOD.

Choosing to have an abortion for selfish reasons (I don't want the child, I wasn't ready, I had an affair blah blah blah) should be ILLEGAL.

Period.

 

[johansen]

Emergency care DOES NOT EUQAL abortion.

PERIOD.

Choosing to have an abortion for selfish reasons (I don't want the child, I wasn't ready, I had an affair blah blah blah) should be ILLEGAL.

Period.

I dont understand your point.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Are Abortion Bans Across America Causing Deaths? The States That Passed Them Are Doing Little to Find Out.​

Propublica article. Contains line drawing of female anatomy on autopsy form.

Per the article, Texas has done more than what's in the OP. The state has simply banned the examination of deaths that may be "abortion-related". North Dakota's maternal mortality board was created in 2021 but has never met or reviewed any cases at all.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Georgia fires entire maternal mortality panel after reporting on abortion ban deaths​

Georgia officials fired everyone on the Maternal Mortality Review Committee after ProPublica reported that the panel found the deaths of two women whose care was restricted by the state's abortion ban were preventable, the news outlet revealed Thursday.

In transparency news...

Georgia Won’t Say Who’s Now Serving on Its Maternal Mortality Committee After Dismissing All Members Last Year​

Before ProPublica’s reporting on the deaths of Amber Thurman and Candi Miller, the names of committee members had been publicly released. Now, Georgia says releasing the identities would be a violation of state law.​

If the public doesn’t know who is on a committee, it could create mistrust of its findings, said Elizabeth Dawes, director of maternal and reproductive health at the Century Foundation, a public-policy nonprofit. She has been an advocate for Black mothers, who die from causes related to pregnancy or birth at higher rates than other groups.

“If everything is confidential, there’s no way to really be able to trust what comes out of it,” Dawes said. “They could completely ignore abortion. They could completely ignore race, racism, discrimination, and say what they want to say.”

 

[Pommer]

In transparency news...

Georgia Won’t Say Who’s Now Serving on Its Maternal Mortality Committee After Dismissing All Members Last Year​

Before ProPublica’s reporting on the deaths of Amber Thurman and Candi Miller, the names of committee members had been publicly released. Now, Georgia says releasing the identities would be a violation of state law.​

If the public doesn’t know who is on a committee, it could create mistrust of its findings, said Elizabeth Dawes, director of maternal and reproductive health at the Century Foundation, a public-policy nonprofit. She has been an advocate for Black mothers, who die from causes related to pregnancy or birth at higher rates than other groups.

“If everything is confidential, there’s no way to really be able to trust what comes out of it,” Dawes said. “They could completely ignore abortion. They could completely ignore race, racism, discrimination, and say what they want to say.”

“Go away, there is nothing to see here!”