Texas Woman Files Lawsuit Seeking Emergency Abortion for Baby with Fatal Abnormality, US

A Texas woman has filed a lawsuit seeking an emergency abortion after discovering that her baby has a fatal abnormality. Kate Cox, who was 20 weeks pregnant at the time of the filing, is being represented by the Center for Reproductive Rights in the case. Doctors have diagnosed Cox’s baby with trisomy 18, a condition that often results in miscarriage or stillbirth. The baby’s heart, skull, spine, and umbilical cord are all developing irregularly, among other issues. Despite the severe prognosis, Cox has been unable to access an abortion due to Texas’ restrictive laws. In the lawsuit, Cox and her legal team argue that continuing the pregnancy poses significant risks to her health and future ability to conceive. The case follows another lawsuit challenging Texas’ abortion laws, where 22 women and physicians, including one of Cox’s doctors, have protested the state’s narrow emergency medical exception. In that case, the plaintiffs were denied abortions despite fatal fetal abnormalities and life-threatening conditions. This latest lawsuit calls for Dr. Damla Karsan, a plaintiff in the previous case, to perform the abortion on Cox. Additionally, Cox’s husband, Justin Cox, seeks protection under Senate Bill 8, which allows citizens to report those assisting with abortions. The Center for Reproductive Rights argues that abortion is an essential healthcare procedure and urges the court to intervene and protect Cox’s health and future reproductive capabilities. The case is still awaiting a decision from the state Supreme Court.