Unborn babies are being aborted again in Texas as the state begins to lift coronavirus health restrictions.
Throughout much of April, Texas abortion facilities were forced to close as part of Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order halting non-essential medical care during the coronavirus crisis. The purpose of the order was to prevent further spread of the virus and conserve medical supplies for those who truly needed them.
Last week, Abbott began loosening restrictions as the crisis de-escalates. On Wednesday, he allowed medical facilities to begin doing non-essential surgeries and other medical procedures again, The Statesman reports.
According to the pro-life Republican governor’s new order, non-essential medical procedures may be provided as long as they do not take away medical resources from hospitals treating patients with the virus.
Abbott’s new order does not mention abortions. When asked about it, he told reporters Friday, “Ultimately, obviously that will be a decision for courts to make.”
Here’s more from the report:
Permitted elective surgeries must “diagnose or correct a serious medical condition” and help the patient avoid death or serious adverse medical consequences, according to Abbott’s order, which took effect Wednesday. …
Under the order, a health care facility must show in writing that it will be able to reserve at least 25% of its hospital capacity for the treatment of COVID-19 patients and show that it will not need to request personal protective equipment from any public source.
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The Planned Parenthood and Whole Women’s Health abortion chains interpreted Abbott’s new order to mean they can start aborting unborn babies in elective abortions again.
Texas and abortion facilities have been battling in court for weeks over whether the state can restrict abortions during a health crisis. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals largely granted a victory to the state earlier this month, ruling that Texas authorities can temporarily halt most abortions.
However, now that the crisis is beginning to subside and wide-spread restrictions are being lifted, state lawyers admitted in court that there is no longer a reason to continue the case, according to the Texas Tribune. Ending abortions and protecting unborn babies in the long-term must be accomplished through a different avenue.
The temporary ban did save some babies’ lives. Pro-life advocates in Texas said they have been helping women who chose life for their unborn babies after Abbott’s order prevented them from getting abortions.
Whole Woman’s Health also told the Tribune that it had to cancel more than 200 abortion appointments in April.
Pro-life organizations are working hard to support pregnant mothers and their unborn babies during the crisis. Option Line reported a huge increase in calls recently on its 24-hour pregnancy help hotline. Run by Heartbeat International, the hotline connects mothers to local support services, including pregnancy resource centers that provide free diapers, pregnancy tests, clothes, counseling and other resources to moms and babies.
Embrace Grace, another pro-life outreach, is helping to organize online baby registries, virtual meetings, and other efforts to support pregnant and new moms who choose life. And Abby Johnson recently shared that her new ministry, Love Line, which provides financial and material support to help moms choose life for their babies, recently heard from a Texas mom who decided to keep her baby because of Abbott’s order.
Other states are still battling in court to be allowed to include elective abortions in their restrictions on non-essential health care. Earlier this week, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals allowed Arkansas to enforce its restriction on abortions.
Recently, medical groups representing more than 30,000 doctors in America emphasized that abortions are not “essential” or “urgent,” and abortion facilities that continue to operate during the pandemic are being “medically irresponsible.” Common abortion complications include infections, blood clots, hemorrhaging and an incomplete abortion. Abortion risks include future preterm births, breast cancer, suicide, anxiety/depression, and death. And it is not true that abortions are safer than childbirth.
