Since the implementation of Texas’ trigger law, there have been zero elective abortions performed in the state of Texas.
That’s according to new data released by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, which also shows there have been 113 “medical-necessity (life/health) excerption” abortions performed since August 2022.
In June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, returning power to the states to decide whether or not to permit abortion. The Texas legislature had created a trigger law before the case’s overturning, which outlawed abortion except when the mother’s life was in danger.
The trigger law went into effect in August 2022 and made performing an abortion a punishable offense with penalties of up to life in prison for abortion providers and $100,000 in fines per violation.
Ectopic pregnancies and miscarriages were excluded from the definition of abortion and thus medical procedures to handle either instance would not be subject to the law.
After Roe was overturned, but before the trigger law went into effect, there were 67 reported elective abortions in July 2022.
Texas Right to Life President John Seago told Texas Scorecard that Texans need to be cautious of data due to the abortion industry changing its practices.
Texans should be cautious about the data coming from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. Yes, we can celebrate that elective abortions in brick and mortar abortion clinics have ceased and that most medical professionals know that Pro-Life laws do not prohibit them from treating pregnant women in medical emergencies. However, we must be aware of the greater context of this data. The abortion industry has merely shifted their business model to the new digital abortion clinic.
Seago warned that in light of the pro-life laws in many states, abortions have moved out of clinics and into the mail.
“Pro-abortion businesses and groups in Texas are now urging women to order abortion pills online and have them mailed directly to their homes or dorm rooms,” said Seago. “We do not have exact numbers on this trend, but reliable estimates show that over 20,000 women in Texas a year are ordering these abortion pills that kill Texas babies and harm their mothers. Unfortunately, very few of our governmental leaders in Texas are aware of, much less, actively fighting the new pro-abortion tactics in our backyard.”
Seago explained that lawmakers and pro-life activists would work to tackle the new problem in the next legislative session.
“The biggest threat to the anti-abortion movement right now is apathy and complacency. Innocent babies and their mothers are still being targeted in Texas and Texas Right to Life is working closely with a small group of elected officials to aggressively fight the digital abortion clinic next session,” he added.
