A group of 18 women from 10 states with laws that restrict abortions are speaking out about making the gut-wrenching decision after learning that the babies they desperately wanted would never be viable in a new special for ABC News Studios’ “Impact x Nightline.”
The project also explores the dangerous medical complications they endured that required urgent termination of their babies to save their lives, health and future fertility.
“On the Brink,” which is led by ABC News anchor Diane Sawyer and senior congressional correspondent Rachel Scott, travels to Denton, Texas to uncover the pregnant women’s harrowing stories and the physicians caught in a legal web when trying to provide essential health care.
Some of the women say that because of the laws, they were sent home from hospitals and told to return once they became sicker — sick enough to qualify for care under the law. Many suffered severe health consequences as they got closer to the brink of death. Others fled their home states, sometimes traveling thousands of miles and spending their life savings to get health care.
“They literally couldn’t do anything until the bloodwork said I was dying,” one woman recalled in the trailer.
Scott also spoke with Kate Cox, a Texas woman who filed a historic lawsuit against her state – asking a judge to grant her a temporary restraining order that would allow her to get an emergency abortion. Cox’s fetus has a severe anomaly and puts her future fertility at risk; she told Scott that she “desperately” wants to have another baby.
Additionally, ABC News spoke to nearly 100 physicians, many of which described the challenges and confusion about what medical care they are allowed to provide, as well as fears for their patients’ lives, as doctors attempt to provide care for their patients and protect themselves from prison time, large fines and loss of their medical licenses.
“Every woman everywhere should be afraid that this is going to happen to them,” one physician said.
“Impact x Nightline” is produced for Hulu by ABC News Studios. Eman Varoqua is executive producer, and Candace Smith Chekwa is senior broadcast producer.
The series is overseen by Justin Dial, vice president of Streaming News, and Reena Mehta, senior vice president of Streaming and Digital Content. ABC News Studios is led by Mike Kelley.
On the Brink” will be available to stream on Hulu on Thursday, Dec. 14. Check out the full trailer in the video above.
