Another Texas Woman Died Because of Abortion Ban: Nevaeh Crain

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
November 1, 2024 
CONTACT: [email protected] 

Statement from Brittany Fonteno, President & CEO of the National Abortion Federation

Today should be Nevaeh Crain’s 20th birthday. Yet, because of Texas’ cruel abortion ban, today, her mother is forced to mourn her loss, rather than celebrate her birthday alongside her. Nevaeh died because emergency room doctors in three separate hospitals feared legal retribution from anti-abortion extremists and lost precious hours debating how to treat Nevaeh. Candi Miller, Amber Thurman, Josseli Barnica, and now, Nevaeh Crain. These are just some of the first people we know of who have lost their lives because of extreme and dangerous abortion bans that denied them essential, emergency care. 

There was a chance that Nevaeh’s pregnancy could have been saved, and with the correct care, her life would have been spared. It is clear that as long as these dangerous bans on access to reproductive care are in place, pregnancy and miscarriage will be a potential death sentence in the dozens of states with abortion restrictions. 

Abortion restrictions and bans do not stop the need for this essential health care; they just make it more difficult to access by forcing patients and providers into impossible situations. No one should be afraid to access medical care, and no health care provider should fear prosecution for giving the best standard of care.

At NAF, we will continue to help patients access abortion care through the National Abortion Hotline (1-800-772-9100), whether that’s help finding a provider, arranging travel to another state, or funding for their care. We will continue to work closely with our national network of member providers, many of whom face uncertainty and fear in the current political landscape. And we will continue to combat anti-abortion extremists whose use of violence and political weaponization is putting pregnant people and providers at extreme risk.

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The National Abortion Federation (NAF) is the nation’s leading professional association of abortion providers. NAF represents hundreds of providers and clinics across the country that are on the frontlines of abortion access. NAF provides members with trainings, security support, and clinical guidelines that serve as the gold standard of abortion care. NAF also operates the National Abortion Hotline, the nation’s largest national, toll-free, multi-lingual hotline for abortion resources and travel and financial assistance in the U.S. Learn more at https://prochoice.org