Kate Cox, the Texas woman who filed a lawsuit last week asking for an emergency abortion, is now leaving the state to get care, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights.
A Texas judge granted Cox, a pregnant 31-year-old mother of two, permission to get an abortion, as her fetus has a fatal trisomy 18 genetic defect, also known as Edwards’ syndrome. Most babies with the defect will die before birth or shortly afterward. Texas Supreme Court ruled on Friday in an order that it was temporarily staying the lower court’s decision, halting Cox from legally getting the medical procedure in Texas. The stay remains in place until the court delivers a full decision.
On Monday, Cox left the state to allow herself to terminate the pregnancy legally, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights, which has represented Cox in the case.
“She’s been in and out of the emergency room and she couldn’t wait any longer,” said Nancy Northup, head of the reproductive rights group.
SUZANNE CORDEIRO/AFP/Getty Images
This comes as Texas enacted one of the strictest abortion bans in the United States, following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022, leaving individual states to choose its own legal status on abortion. Texas’ ban, which does not have exceptions for rape, incest or medical needs, such as Cox’s case, goes into effect after about six weeks of pregnancy, which is before most women even know they’re pregnant.
Cox’s lawsuit is believed to be the first time since Roe was overturned that a woman has asked a court to approve an abortion.
Since the lawsuit, Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton have faced backlash online from social media users.
Paxton, who is leading the effort against the lower court’s decision, said in a letter to three hospitals in Houston that Cox failed to demonstrate that she has a life-threatening medical condition or that her symptoms place her at risk of death or major bodily harm.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated as further information becomes available.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.