Facts matter. At More Than Sex-Ed we strive for frank discussion based on the best available data. Legislative policy in Texas has reduced women's access to reproductive health care with deadly results. It's time for those legislators to step up for child-bearing Texans who lack the care they need.
Researchers at University of Maryland conducted a study that found Texas' rate of " maternal mortality rate doubled between 2010 and 2012."
A task force was assembled in 2013 to identify and combat the reasons for the increase. Lisa Hollier, the chairwoman of the committee, explains that part of the reason for the rise in maternal mortality rates are due to cardiac related problems. Unfortunately, Hollier notes that there are still no solid "intervention programs" that addresses the problem.
Republican Senator, Lois Kolkhorst and Democrat State Rep. Shawn Thierry both proposed different ways to confront the issue. Senator Kolkhorst introduced legislation that would continue Hollier's task force until 2023. This would allow more in depth analysis of pregnancy related deaths by teams of specialists. Due to time restraints, Senator Kolkhorst's legislation must wait until next session.
State Rep. Thierry had a different approach to address the " skyrocketing rate of pregnancy-related deaths" in Texas by focusing on a key finding of the task force. The task force had discovered that Black women were more vulnerable to pregnancy related deaths. Rep. Thierry hoped to "compare the risk of black women in different income brackets". Unfortunately for Rep. Thierry, her proposal was dismissed.
