Austin-area resident Lynn Callaway claims she was denied miscarriage care at two local emergency rooms, despite a clarification to Texas’ abortion ban. Callaway, who was experiencing a miscarriage, was told to go home and wait for the pregnancy to pass, rather than receiving abortion-inducing medication or surgery.

Delayed Care

Callaway’s experience is not an isolated incident. Four years after Texas banned nearly all abortions, women are still being denied the full range of miscarriage care by doctors fearful of being accused of performing a prohibited abortion. A federal complaint filed on behalf of Callaway alleges that Baylor Scott and White Medical Center in Round Rock and St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center violated the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, a federal statute that requires hospitals to provide stabilizing treatment, including for miscarriages.

Callaway’s lawyers say that EMTALA investigations are being delayed by the Trump administration, in part due to a 2022 lawsuit brought by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The complaint also asks the Texas Medical Board and Texas Board of Nursing to investigate the healthcare providers who allegedly failed to treat Callaway.

Clarification and Concerns

Last year, lawmakers passed a bill aimed at assuring doctors they wouldn’t be punished for treating miscarriages. However, Callaway’s experience suggests that the clarification has not been effective in ensuring that women receive the care they need. Callaway’s story highlights the ongoing concerns about the impact of Texas’ abortion ban on women’s health and well-being.

Original reporting: Texas Tribune (HLL/CB) — read the source article.