Texas Republican lawmakers have introduced a bill clarifying the “life of mother” exception in the state’s abortion laws, but have opted not to include provisions for pregnancies diagnosed with lethal fetal abnormalities.
The clarification, part of the “Life of the Mother Act,” aims to provide medical professionals with legal guidance when performing procedures to save a pregnant person’s life in life-threatening situations.
The bill outlines the circumstances in which healthcare providers can intervene to preserve the life of the mother without facing prosecution.
However, the act does not address cases where a fetus is diagnosed with fatal abnormalities that would prevent survival outside the womb.
Lawmakers chose not to expand exceptions beyond the current law, which permits abortion only when necessary to prevent the death or serious harm of the mother.
Under Texas law, abortions are permitted to protect the life of the mother or to prevent substantial harm.
However, the law does not specifically address scenarios involving fetal abnormalities, which remain a point of contention in the ongoing debate over abortion regulations in the state.