Elizabeth Weller, from Houston, was pleasantly surprised when she and her husband, James, learned in early 2022 that they were expecting their first child. The first trimester went smoothly – the couple even opted out of genetic testing for their daughter since Elizabeth herself had been born with a physical disability and would want to continue the pregnancy regardless. However, in May 2022, crisis ensued when Elizabeth’s water broke at 18 weeks, leaving her fetus no chance of survival. James rushed her to a nearby hospital where an ultrasound confirmed Elizabeth had suffered preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM). Despite the diagnosis, Elizabeth’s hospital sent her back home without termination treatment since the fetus still had a detectable heartbeat, even though she was now highly vulnerable to infections. Elizabeth’s OB-GYN fought for her to access critical care, but the unclear parameters of what constituted a “medical emergency” in Texas law deterred the hospital administration from permitting the procedure. After days of contacting the hospital with signs of a progressing infection, Elizabeth was told that she was not describing “the right symptoms” to get treatment, further infuriating the couple and prompting them to explore out-of-state emergency termination options. Only when Elizabeth was rushed to the emergency room with chorioamnionitis, a serious uterine infection, did the ethics panel allow her to be induced for an early delivery. Following a painful labor, Elizabeth gave birth to a stillborn baby girl.
While the Wellers want more children, they are waiting first to recover emotionally from their traumatic experience and fear the serious risks of another complicated pregnancy in Texas. Lauren was one of the plaintiffs in the Zurawski v. State of Texas, a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Texas abortion laws.