ABORTION INFORMATION
The following information is an excerpt from the State of Texas publication A Woman's Right to Know . For more information, please download the full booklet A Woman's Right to Know.
You are pregnant and want to know everything you can about the options you have. You have a right to know the truth. This downloadable booklet provides important information about the baby that is growing in your womb and the resources available to you during and after your pregnancy. You need good information in order to make important decisions about your pregnancy and your life. You have the right to make these decisions freely. No one else should make them for you.
No one can force you to have an abortion, not even your parents or the father of your baby. If you are feeling pressure (also called coercion) from someone to have an abortion, you have options. Talk to your doctor, counselor or spiritual adviser about your feelings, and ask for a phone to call 9-1-1 for immediate help.
If you are a victim of human trafficking (that is, if you are forced to provide labor or have sex for money), call the National Human Trafficking Resource Hotline at 888-373-7888.
You and your doctor should talk openly and privately. You have the right to ask questions and know as much as you can. The best way for you to understand these risks is to share your health history with your doctor and discuss the risk of each option in light of your personal health history and needs. Some things you should discuss with your doctor include:
- Your personal health history.
- How long you have been pregnant.
- The medical risks of having an abortion.
- The alternatives to abortion, including adoption.
- The medical risks of carrying a pregnancy to term.
- The many public and private agencies that will help new mothers through pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood, including nearby adoption agencies and free sonogram services, which provide pictures of the baby in your womb.
- Money and other types of support available to new mothers.
Take whatever time you need to read this booklet and talk to other people you trust. You might speak with a family member, a spiritual or professional counselor, a close friend, your spouse, your partner or the father of the baby. You deserve the advice and support of those you trust, and you are strongly urged to ask for their advice and guidance before you make decisions that affect your pregnancy. You will need the support of those closest to you, whatever you decide. The decisions you make about your pregnancy are very important — you have the right to make them based upon your values, your beliefs and your health care needs.
If you are under 18 years old, Texas law requires a doctor to notify your parent or guardian before you can have an abortion. In most cases, the parent or guardian must give consent unless a waiver is given. If your rights are not being protected or you notice illegal or unsanitary abortion facility conditions, you may call or email your complaint here: 888-973-0022 or hfc.complaints@dshs.texas.gov.
ARE ABORTIONS ALLOWED IN TEXAS NOW THAT ROE V. WADE WAS OVERTURNED? WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW.
Wondering if you can still get an abortion in Texas? You have probably heard that on June 24, 2022, the US Supreme Court released its opinion overturning Roe v. Wade and returning the abortion question back to the states (1). Thirty days from the decision, the Texas Trigger Law (Chapter 170A, Texas Health & Safety Code) will ban abortion in Texas (2). However, almost all TX abortion clinics have already ceased providing abortions.
What to know about the upcoming trigger law in Texas:
- The law applies to those providing an abortion; women seeking an abortion will not be prosecuted
- Does not stop women from traveling outside of Texas for abortion
- Does not ban:
- In-Vitro Fertilization or other ARTs
- Birth control
- Emergency Contraception (Plan B, Ella, the Morning After Pill)
- Treating medical emergencies
- Treating a miscarriage
- Treating an ectopic pregnancy
If you are considering abortion , Brazos Pregnancy Center offers a no-charge, pre-abortion screening service to assess your pregnancy and review your options, so you can be fully informed.
Before you consider self-managed abortion or out-of-state travel, it is important to have your pregnancy medically verified and assessed. Brazos Pregnancy Center offers this service free of charge.
Sources:
1. https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/19-1392_6j37.pdf
2.https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/HS/htm/HS.170A.htm#:~:text=Sec.-,170A.,induce%2C%20or%20attempt%20an%20abortion