Texas is in the hot seat regarding abortion laws and restrictions. Politicians are battling each other to figure out what to do. Currently, Senate Bill 8 (SB 8) has held its ground. We are looking to discover if SB 8 is helping women or not.
To give a quick recap, SB 8, also referred to as the Heartbeat Bill, was signed into effect on May 19, 2021, by Texas Governor Greg Abbott. This bill includes two key provisions: it bans abortion upon detecting fetal cardiac activity and allows almost anyone to sue abortion providers and others who “aid and abet” a person obtaining abortion care.
The SB 8 prohibits physicians from providing abortion care if they detect a heartbeat. An ultrasound can detect a fetal heartbeat as early as 5-6 weeks’ gestation. The law allows exceptions only for medical emergencies, such as ectopic pregnancy, spontaneous abortion, or miscarriage.
Overall, SB 8 prevents most pregnant women in Texas from obtaining an abortion because most women are not aware they are pregnant or seek care before six weeks’ gestation.
So, has this bill helped or hindered women? According to check my clinic, you can research for yourself to see some of the violations and lack of care and concern for women some abortion facilities have had in Texas. Society advocated for abortion, but does this mean we are advocating for women? When you look at the risks for abortion, you’ll find Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, Placenta Previa, Ectopic Pregnancies, Cervical Lacerations, Uterine Perforation, Breast Cancer, Infertility, and death. If you don’t believe us, watch this man’s story of his sister’s experience here.
So, is this bill a bad thing? Since this bill has passed, Loveline, an organization that seeks to help women with support with their unplanned pregnancies, has seen a 455% increase in women reaching out. We are coming to know that women are looking for help, not abortion. Loveline supports single moms and women facing unplanned pregnancies who feel they have exhausted all opportunities for resources in their area. Loveline seeks to discover the need, uncover hidden resources and connect her with one of our volunteer advocates in her area to help.
So, if you are a woman who has experienced abortion and don’t know how to put it into words, we understand. We started Hurt After Abortion with you in mind!
We hear stories of women who have suffered physically and emotionally from a past abortion. Many of which have never shared what happened to us with another person.
You’re not the only one carrying the shame and regret of making a decision and having others minimize the harm done to you because abortion is “normalized,” “accepted,” and supposedly “safe.” Just because something is “normal” doesn’t mean it is okay, doesn’t mean it is healthy and doesn’t mean it did not hurt you. Your experience matters, and you deserve to be heard.
Contact us today if you find yourself needing emotional healing, access to your medical records from your abortion. Or if you need legal help.
We are here for you!
Compiled Sources:
Initial impact of Texas’ Senate Bill 8 on Abortion and at Out-of-State Facilities [Internet] Texas Policy Evaluation Project [October 2021] Available from: http://sites.utexas.edu/txpep/files/2021/11/TxPEP-brief-SB8-inital-impact.pdf
The Risks of Abortion [Internet] Human Life International [August 11th, 2021] Available from: https://www.hli.org/resources/risks-of-abortion/
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