Texas woman who sued over abortion ban leaves state for procedure

The Texas woman who asked a court for permission to terminate her pregnancy because her fetus suffering from a fatal health condition will seek the procedure out of state, according to NBC News.

On Thursday, Travis County District Judge Maya Guerra Gamble granted Dallas resident Kate Cox a temporary restraining order allowing her to terminate her pregnancy in Houston.

At 20 weeks pregnant, Cox’s fetus had been diagnosed with trisomy 18, a rare chromosomal disorder that often proves fatal before or shortly after birth. Cox herself is also at risk of becoming infertile and suffering other health consequences due to the diagnosis.

Even so, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed an emergency stay with the Texas Supreme Court on Friday, leaving Cox and her terminally ill fetus in limbo.  The court granted Paxton’s request.

“Due to the ongoing deterioration of Ms. Cox’s health condition … Ms. Cox is now forced to seek medical care outside of Texas,” Molly Duane, senior staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights, which is representing Cox, wrote in a Monday court filing, according to NBC.

Although Cox is now seeking care outside of Texas, her attorneys said they will proceed with their legal case, the news outlet reports.

The Texas Supreme Court hasn’t yet ruled on Cox’s case. Depending on the ruling, Paxton and Cox’s attorneys could appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

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This article appears in Nov 29 – Dec 12, 2023.