Washington D.C., Aug 29, 2016 / 16:12 pm
A jump in Texas' maternal mortality rate has sparked criticism that the closures of abortion clinics in the state caused a shortage in life-saving prenatal health care – but is that true?
"There have been abortion clinic closures, but abortion clinics here in the state of Texas, none of them provided prenatal care," Abby Johnson, former Planned Parenthood clinic director and founder of And Then There Were None ministry which helps abortion clinic workers escape the industry, told CNA.
Ultimately, she added, "we don't know anything about these women" so it is hard to conclude any one reason behind the increase in Texas' maternal mortality rate from 2010-14.
A study conducted by Obstetrics & Gynecology journal found that Texas' death rate for expecting mothers was much higher than the national average after 2010. The rate there doubled in 2011 and 2012, the report noted.