Kylie Beaton, a 32-year-old mother from Texas, is facing a devastating situation as she is being forced to carry her nonviable pregnancy to term due to Texas' highly restrictive abortion ban.
Beaton's baby has a rare and severe condition that affects the development of its brain, and according to her doctor, the baby has a slim chance of survival if carried to term.
Beaton is not alone, as many other women in Texas face similar situations due to the recent legislation.
Impact of Texas' highly restrictive abortion ban on women
ABC reported that Texas' new law, which went into effect on September 1, 2021, prohibits abortions after six weeks of pregnancy before many women even know they are pregnant.
This law is considered one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the United States, and it negatively impacts women's health and well-being.
The law has forced many women, like Beaton, to carry nonviable pregnancies to term, putting their lives at risk and causing them emotional and psychological distress.
Beaton's case highlights the need for more comprehensive reproductive healthcare in Texas and across the United States.
During her pregnancy, Beaton's doctor discovered that the fetus had a severe and rare abnormality called alobar holoprosencephaly.
This condition causes the brain to remain fused in the middle and prevents its normal development into two hemispheres.
Dr. Katie McHugh, an OB-GYN and abortion provider, explained that this is a critical stage of development that can affect the development of vital organs like the throat, mouth, and nose.
McHugh also noted that alobar holoprosencephaly could cause immense pain and suffering for the fetus, making pregnancy termination the recommended course of action in most cases.
However, as per the Daily Mail, due to the highly restrictive abortion ban they have in Texas, it most likely will not happen as they can be charged with a felony.
According to Kylie Beaton, her doctors informed her that if the pregnancy resulted in a live birth, the baby could survive outside the womb for a few weeks at most. This happens in roughly 1 in 250 fetuses but only in 1 in 16,000 live births.
Dr. Carrie Rouse, an OB-GYN and maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Indiana University Health, stated that in her seven years of experience, she had encountered only five cases.
Abortion ban in the United States
Abortion in the United States is contentious, and laws vary by state.
According to the Guttmacher Institute, as of September 2021, 44 states prohibit some abortions after a certain point in pregnancy, and 13 states ban abortion altogether.
Of these states, two ban abortion because there are no abortion providers available.
One state bans abortion at six weeks past the last menstrual period (LMP). Additionally, one state has a prohibition in place beginning at the 25-week LMP mark in the third trimester.
One state bans abortion at 20 weeks LM, two states ban abortion at 15 weeks LMP, and nine states ban abortion at 22 weeks LMP on the unscientific grounds that a fetus can feel pain.
Four states ban abortion at 24 weeks LMP, and 13 states impose a ban at viability.
Since the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, abortion has threatened the lives of multiple pregnant women due to medical complications.
Beaton's heartbreaking situation sheds light on the negative impact of Texas' highly restrictive abortion ban and the need for comprehensive reproductive healthcare.
Women have the right to make informed decisions about their reproductive health, and the government or restrictive laws should not limit these decisions.
It is essential to protect and uphold women's reproductive rights and ensure they have access to safe and legal abortion care.
