The story of Kate Cox seeking an abortion in Texas made headlines across the country, and it was a classic example of “Don’t believe what you read/see in the news.” The reports left out a lot of needed information. So, I have questions.
It was reported that Cox was denied an abortion by the court because her Planned Parenthood attorney and physician failed to prove that she needed one because of a life-threatening situation. “Failed to prove” – doesn’t that mean that the pregnancy was not, therefore, life-threatening to the mother?
The criteria set by law in Texas for a therapeutic abortion, such as is needed for an ectopic pregnancy or ruptured membranes, has been met over 50 other times so far. That fact should serve to emphasize that Cox’s case wasn’t as “necessary” as advertised.
Options
Which means that Cox must have had options. Was she counseled about those options? Not likely since she was being handled by Planned Parenthood (PP).
This leads me to the next question: Was PP truly concerned about Cox or just exploiting her for a high-profile case that they could use to promote business for the nation’s largest abortion provider? Did any reporters question PP’s motivation?
Did anyone in the media wonder why Cox didn’t qualify and seek out explanations from other medical sources? Did any reporters consult with an obstetrician who specializes in high-risk pregnancies like Dr. John Bruchalski? (See: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/musingsfromthepew/2022/08/the-truth-about-prenatal-care/; https://angelusnews.com/news/life-family/hospice-palliative-care-abortion-alternative/)
Nope, they all just swallowed whole PP’s story because that’s what they always do. Somehow it hasn’t ever occurred to the media that pro-life means we are against killing and thus would never endanger the life of the mother any more than that of the child.
Suffering
The parents said they didn’t want their child to suffer, but the child, if born alive, could have been made comfortable in the company of the parents/family until death occurred, instead of dying in excruciating pain while being torn apart, literally limb by limb.
Were the parents told how a 2nd-trimester abortion is performed? Did any members of the media inquire about the procedure? Were there any articles describing what the parents had chosen for their child? Was there a single article about perinatal hospice or other life-affirming options? No! (See: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/musingsfromthepew/2021/09/blogs-musingsfromthepew-p272/)
Besides the child, what about the suffering of the parents? Did any “investigative” reporter discover that several studies have all come to the same conclusion when looking at the emotional aftermath of perinatal hospice versus abortion? Every single one found that the women (and couples) who chose abortion suffered more depression, grief, and guilt.
Competent Care
Why did Ms. Cox go to the ER four times? I finally found one article that covered that information: Cox had cramping and fluid leaks. She also had elevated glucose levels which could have increased her risk of diabetes and hypertension.
So what was her own obstetrician doing, or not doing, to treat these symptoms? Was the PP obstetrician looking for an excuse to abort or truly attending to the health of mother AND baby, which is what an obstetrician is supposed to do?
Ms. Cox was in a difficult position because of the number of C-sections she’s had and the physical risks she faced if she went into labor; risks that might prohibit another pregnancy. Again, however, if she had consulted a pro-life obstetrician, she might have been able to achieve good outcomes for herself, this baby, and any subsequent pregnancy.
With those symptoms, she most likely would have given birth prematurely, so she didn’t have long to suffer her “trauma” of carrying a baby with a terminal diagnosis. Didn’t anyone advise her that it is more traumatic to kill your own child and have no funeral because the body parts were thrown out with the medical waste?
Necessity or Desire?
Is this then a case of euthanizing a child because of Trisomy 18? Why make every effort to respect the life of a disabled child if doing so endangers or eliminates a future pregnancy, right? The bottom line for Ms. Cox was her desire to have another child. She didn’t want to jeopardize that for a baby that was likely to die anyway.
The key point here, as touted in abortion propaganda, is not about the child’s life, but about the mother’s wishes. What she wants is paramount. “I want another child. I don’t want this one.” Children are treated as a disposable commodity. This one’s broken – give me recourse for a “better” one. (Read this previous blog to hear from parents of a Trisomy 18 child who never wavered in defending the life of their child: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/musingsfromthepew/2023/02/killing-our-child-was-not-an-option/)
Follow-Up
In my research, I have not found any article about the Cox case that covers the aftermath of her decision to get an abortion in another state. Isn’t the media interested in a follow-up?
How do the parents feel now? What kind of after-care, if any, was provided by PP? Is there remorse or do the parents think they did the right thing? Further down the line, I’d like to know if they experience depression and/or conflict. I would also be curious to know if the D&E abortion caused greater harm to her fertility than was predicted for carrying to delivery. Statistics say that these post-abortion consequences would be likely.
I have heard that Diane Sawyer and an ABC colleague are doing a TV special about cases like that of Cox. Of course, their theme will be how much harm is being done to women by state laws like that of Texas. I’m betting that, once again, there will be no consultations with pro-life physicians or perinatal hospice programs.
In other words, there will be no answers to the questions that should have been asked. Instead, there will be just more fearmongering and a failure by the media to do their job of asking questions, all the questions, honestly seeking a complete, unbiased report.
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