Couple grapples with Texas’ strict abortion laws after miscarriage

A woman was allegedly denied an abortion option at two facilities after her fetus’ heartbeat stopped. THE BIG STORY [Ryan Hamilton poses for a photo next to a tree.]( Ryan Hamilton poses for a photo, Friday, May 24, 2024, outside of Fort Worth, Texas. Hamilton’s wife who was miscarrying her second pregnancy was repeatedly sent home by hospitals despite excessive bleeding because it wasn’t enough of an emergency to warrant further abortion care, Hamilton said. (Chitose Suzuki / Staff Photographer) [How a couple found themselves tangled in Texas’ strict abortion laws after miscarriage]( The woman knew there would be blood, but she hadn’t expected this much or for it to be bright red. It had been nearly a day since the Surepoint Emergency Center outside of Fort Worth told her that she was miscarrying at nearly 13 weeks and sent her home with a prescription and a set of instructions. Administer the misoprostol, a drug that helps empty the uterus, and wait, the instructions said. If it doesn’t work, take another dose. There will be a lot of blood, the doctor said, but you only need to worry if it’s scarlet instead of a rusty brown. The woman, who asked not to be named out of concern for her safety, wanted a surgical procedure to clear her uterus, but the doctor told her it wasn’t an option at the facility. Worried by the amount of blood, the woman and her husband, Ryan Hamilton, returned to Surepoint, their 9-month-old daughter in tow. The trip was the beginning of a 24-hour race to get the woman additional abortion care while she bled until she lost consciousness on her bathroom floor. The woman’s story, which her first husband shared on social media and with The News, is yet another example of a Texan stuck in the [gray space of the state’s abortion laws]( that ban the procedure in all cases except to preserve the life of the mother. [READ MORE]( [The Dallas Morning News]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [X (formerly Twitter)]( [YouTube]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Account Login]( | [Help Center]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Terms of Service]( [Manage Preferences]( | [Unsubscribe]( ©2024 The Dallas Morning News • 1954 Commerce St. • Dallas, TX 75201