Yet another tragic loss of life has occurred as a result of the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
According to a report by ProPublica, Porsha Ngumezi, a 35-year-old woman from Texas, was unable to receive the necessary medical care for a miscarriage because of her state’s stringent abortion ban.
Ngumezi, a mother of two, went through a heartbreaking experience when she suffered a miscarriage at 11 weeks on June 11, 2023. The loss was accompanied by heavy bleeding, with nurses describing it as “passing large clots the size of grapefruit.” In order to address the excessive bleeding, Ngumezi had to undergo two blood transfusions in the emergency room at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital.
Ngumezi’s mother-in-law, who used to be a physician, suggested that she undergo a dilation and curettage (D&C) procedure. During this procedure, a curette is used to scrape the lining of the uterus, which effectively removes the baby from inside the uterus. Typically, D&C procedures are carried out in the first trimester for cases of miscarriage or abortion.
According to Ngumezi’s doctor, treating the miscarriage with a drug called misoprostol is considered a routine procedure at the hospital.
Hope, Ngumezi’s husband, expressed that on that day, he had the mindset that the medical professionals were the experts in the situation. He believed that they had the necessary knowledge and experience to handle cases of miscarriage effectively.
Ngumezi tragically passed away just three hours after being administered the medication. The medical examiner determined that the cause of Ngumezi’s untimely death was hemorrhage.
Hope expressed her frustration, emphasizing that the situation could have been avoided. She felt let down by the fact that it seemed like everyone had abandoned them on that day.
Ngumezi’s death was deemed preventable by numerous doctors, as stated by ProPublica. Experts assert that the use of misoprostol is too dangerous in cases of heavy bleeding and that a D&C procedure should have been conducted instead.
According to Dr. Amber Truehart, an OB-GYN at the University of New Mexico Center for Reproductive Health, using Misoprostol at 11 weeks may not yield quick results. She explains that the patient may experience ongoing bleeding and face a heightened risk of developing hemorrhagic shock.
In Texas, the abortion ban requires doctors to refrain from performing the procedure unless there is a risk to the mother’s life. Violating this law can result in doctors facing up to 99 years in prison. Consequently, many medical professionals are now avoiding performing D&Cs, even in cases of miscarriages.
Dr. Alison Goulding, an OB-GYN in Houston, points out that there is a stigma and fear associated with D&Cs that is not present with misoprostol. She explains that doctors often assume that D&Cs are no longer the standard practice in Texas, even when they should be recommended. This fear is rooted in the misconception that D&Cs are equated with illegal abortions, further contributing to the stigma surrounding the procedure.