The Texan community is being plagued by the ever-rising mortality rates in maternal women or people and infants, by sepsis infections, and emergency cases. These rates drastically increased after the implementation of Senate Bill 8, of the 87th Legislature. 

The U.S prides itself on liberty, freedom, and justice for all. As stated in the second sentence of the Declaration of Independence, “All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” Furthermore, the First Amendment also protects many individual freedoms, such as freedom of speech, press, and assembly. 

Whilst there are many allowances within the constitution, which support the idea of “Freedom for All”, many laws are still restrictive of personal freedoms. In some cases, these laws can interfere, and have been known to hinder the safety of these individuals. Segregation and racially motivated laws, policies, and practices threatened and still threaten the safety of all people of color. Though many of these laws have been abolished, the effects of enslavement, racism, and systematic oppression are still felt by people of color in the present day. The laws of yesterday, or of past centuries, create a standard, and a future that will be felt, even after the law is abolished or deemed “unconstitutional”

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and many more human rights agreements, are in consensus, that bodily autonomy is a fundamental right. Freedom of autonomy is as crucial as other individual freedoms, which are already protected in the Declaration of Independence. Denying people, specifically women, the right to decide what to do with their bodies, and what they can and can’t do is destructive to the fundamental ideas of democracy. These laws are not only infringing on natural rights, but also causing a healthcare crisis. 

Senate Bill 8 of the 87th Legislature states that abortions, after a fetal heartbeat is detected, are banned, except when a fetus dies or the pregnant person is experiencing a life-threatening or extreme infection or sickness. This can occur at as early as five weeks. Abortions are not permitted in cases like rape, teen pregnancy, or incest. The fine for breaking this law is $100,000, and other possible repercussions. But it doesn’t stop there, many politicians are trying to take this bill further, by declaring all abortion as homicide, and possibly enacting the death penalty as a consequence. Though abortions are allowed in cases of emergencies, it is unclear what counts as an emergency, leaving hesitant healthcare providers. Doctors, nurses, and other medical caretakers are not giving pregnant people, who are in need of an emergency procedure due to complications, the care they need immediately because they do not want to risk paying the absurd fine. This has caused maternity death rates to nearly double, after September 2021, when the bill was first enacted. 

This bill was lauded by Greg Abbott as a bill that “ensures the life of every unborn child.” But this is not the case, but quite the contrary. In Texas, after the implementation of Senate Bill 8, the infant mortality rates in Texas increased by 255 in under a year, after the policy was put into action. Compared to a 1.8% increase in the rest of the country, in the same short time frame. In 2022, Texas experienced a 22.9% increase in infant mortality rates, while the rest of the country actually had a 3.1% decrease. This evidence connects the increasing numbers of infant mortality in Texas, to the passing and implementation of Senate Bill 8. 

Sepsis infection is defined as a serious condition in which the body responds improperly to an infection, damaging vital organs and tissues. Sepsis has been known to be deadly, and there is evidence that supports the role that the execution Senate Bill 8 had on the increasing rate of sepsis deaths in Texas. The Journal of the American Medical Association found that infant mortality rates were 5.6% higher in 14 states, after adopting partial or total abortion bans, one of these states being Texas. After the initial ban in 2021, sepsis rates shot up by 50%, and that was only recently following the passing of the bill. 

Not only is Sepsis a dangerous disease, which puts victims at risk of permanent kidney failure, brain damage, and blood clotting, but can cause miscarriages for pregnant women. Second Trimester miscarriages are very common for maternal people who have sepsis, but can also occur without ever contracting the infection. Standard procedure for these miscarriages is to clean out the cervix, before it becomes fatal for both the fetus and the mother. Healthcare providers who detect these miscarriages, who had no issue successfully completing the procedure before, now must abide by the Heartbeat Act. They must wait until loss of fetal heartbeat to clear out the uterus, even if the mother's condition was determined to be life-threatening. There have been many public cases of women dying, because surgeons and doctors have hesitated on giving them the care that they need, because it counts as an abortion.

Undeniable evidence connects the passing of Senate Bill 8, and the increasing numbers of maternal and infant deaths and sepsis infections. Overturning Senate Bill 8 will decrease the number of mortality rates of the affected groups, and improve healthcare for patients, and providers, seeking to do what is right and best for their health. Additionally, to raise more awareness for this cause, the idea of hosting a fundraising event to help raise more medical equipment that can aid and prevent the deaths of infants and pregnant women, would be helpful for both garnering awareness and being practical for the women, infants and doctor’s. To make further amends for this grievance, a charity or organization could be created to help continue to raise money for maternal medical equipment, and help ensure the safety and comfort of those giving birth, as well as providing a safe environment for pregnant women.

This law is not about “science”, it’s not about “left or right”, it’s about the women, children and people who are dying because of this law. This law is not protecting anyone, and is violating the right to safety. Senate Bill 8 is destructive to the ends of what democracy stands for; freedom and justice for all. Who is making laws to protect these women, who are not being looked after by the system they give their rights away to? A government is created to keep us safe, and this bill is harming maternal women all over Texas. Having this bill overturned, or rewritten is a decision that will be favorable for not only those hoping to have a child, but for healthcare providers who strive to provide effective healthcare to their patients, and the goodwill of all Texans.