A Texas family is mourning the loss of Porsha Ngumezi, a 35-year-old woman who passed away in late 2024 after being denied critical medical care due to the state’s strict abortion laws.
According to CBS News, Hope Ngumezi is devastated after losing not only his unborn child but also his wife, Porsha. She had visited the emergency room at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital while experiencing a miscarriage at 11 weeks pregnant, but the care she needed was withheld.
“I blame the doctors, I blame the hospital, and I blame the state of Texas,” Hope told CBS News.
What Led to Porsha Ngumezi’s Death?
On June 11, 2023, Porsha did not receive a dilation and curettage (D&C) procedure, a common treatment to remove pregnancy tissue following a miscarriage or a first-trimester abortion, according to ProPublica. Despite experiencing severe bleeding for six hours in the emergency room and requiring two blood transfusions, doctors hesitated to perform the procedure.
Many physicians in Texas fear legal repercussions under the state’s abortion laws, which Hope believes ultimately cost his wife her life. Her condition worsened until she went into cardiac arrest and died.
“I just felt like the doctor turned his back on us. You know, ‘I don’t want to go to jail. I don’t want to lose my license or get fined, so the best course is for me to protect myself,’” Hope said in his interview with CBS News.
According to ProPublica, Porsha is the third woman in Texas to die under the state’s abortion ban.
What Does the Texas Abortion Ban Include?
In 2021, Governor Greg Abbott signed the Heartbeat Act, a law banning most abortions after approximately six weeks of pregnancy, as reported by The Texas Tribune. The only exception is when a pregnant person’s life is at risk, but doctors have expressed concerns over the law’s vague wording, which fails to specify what qualifies as a life-threatening condition.
“I feel like the law is very reckless… very dangerous,” Hope said.
CBS News reported that Texas’ maternal mortality rate has risen sharply since the law took effect. Data from the Gender Equity Policy Institute revealed that maternal deaths in the state increased by 56% between 2019 and 2022, compared to an 11% rise nationwide.
Texas State Senator Bryan Hughes, who played a key role in passing the restrictions, dismissed concerns from medical professionals, stating, “I hear that. And I can show you the definition of abortion in Texas, and it says removal of a miscarriage is not an abortion.”
Despite lawmakers discussing possible revisions to clarify the law, no changes have been made. As debates continue, Hope is left navigating life as a single father to two young boys.
“We’re not supposed to be worried about, man, if I have a complication, am I gonna lose my life? Would a doctor give me the proper care?” he said.
