US Vice President Kamala Harris launched a sharp criticism of former President Donald Trump, accusing his policies of creating a health care crisis for women in the United States. Speaking at a rally in Wisconsin, Harris pointed to Trump-era abortion restrictions as having led to preventable deaths, including the case of 28-year-old Amber Nicole Thurman, who died due to delayed medical care following an abortion. Harris described Thurman’s death as part of a broader pattern of healthcare failures that have emerged since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

Harris emphasized that restrictive abortion laws, introduced during Trump’s presidency, forced doctors to hesitate in providing critical care, fearing legal repercussions. As a result, Harris claimed, women like Thurman are being denied timely treatment, which, in many cases, has led to severe medical complications and even death. Harris explained that Thurman, a mother of one, faced a 20-hour delay in receiving emergency care for complications following an abortion in Georgia. Doctors hesitated to perform the necessary procedures due to strict anti-abortion laws, which could have resulted in prison sentences for medical professionals.

Amber Thurman, a medical assistant who had just been accepted into nursing school, was forced to travel out of state to receive abortion care. However, upon returning to Georgia, complications arose, and she sought care at a hospital where medical staff hesitated to provide treatment due to the legal environment created by Trump’s abortion restrictions. By the time doctors acted, it was too late, and Thurman tragically died of sepsis. Harris highlighted this case to underline what she called a dangerous trend in the country’s health care system, blaming the former president’s policies.

Harris passionately argued that such laws put women’s lives at risk, citing medical experts who have described cases like Thurman’s death as preventable. She described these restrictions as an ongoing health crisis that disproportionately affects women, especially in states with the harshest abortion laws. Harris vowed that, if elected president, she would make it her priority to restore reproductive rights by signing legislation that would ensure women have access to necessary medical care without delay or fear of legal repercussions.

Trump, who has often claimed that decisions regarding abortion should be left to the states, has been a polarizing figure on the issue. His administration’s appointment of conservative justices to the Supreme Court paved the way for the overturning of Roe v. Wade, which had protected the right to an abortion nationwide. Since then, several states, including Georgia, have enacted restrictive laws that make it difficult or impossible for women to access abortion care.

In response to Trump’s policies, Harris’s comments come at a critical moment as the 2024 presidential election looms. With abortion rights a key issue, Harris sought to rally support by framing the upcoming election as a matter of life and death for women across the country. “This is not just about politics; it’s about survival,” Harris said, urging voters to take action to reverse what she called “dangerous and deadly” legislation.

Expert opinion: the dangerous impact of restrictive abortion laws

Experts have echoed Harris’s concerns, warning that restrictive abortion laws are having disastrous effects on women’s health across the United States. Dr. Susan Watson, a reproductive health specialist, explained that the criminalisation of abortion in some states has led to confusion and fear among medical professionals. “Doctors are caught between doing what is right for their patients and following the law. This hesitation can be deadly, as we’ve seen in cases like Amber Thurman’s,” Dr. Watson stated.

Research has shown that abortion bans do not reduce the number of abortions but instead drive women to seek unsafe procedures or delay care, leading to preventable health complications. According to a recent study by the Guttmacher Institute, states with restrictive abortion laws have seen a significant increase in the number of women who experience delays in receiving care, which has led to an uptick in maternal mortality rates. Experts argue that without federal intervention, more lives will be at risk as restrictive laws continue to take hold in various states.

The future of reproductive rights in America

As the debate over abortion rights intensifies, Harris’s remarks signal that reproductive health will be a central issue in the 2024 elections. With the future of Roe v. Wade still uncertain and the patchwork of state laws creating an uneven landscape for women seeking care, the outcome of the election could have a profound impact on women’s health in the years to come.

Harris’s commitment to signing legislation that would restore reproductive rights is likely to resonate with voters who are concerned about the erosion of access to safe and legal abortion care. However, the polarisation of the issue suggests that it will remain a hotly contested topic in the months ahead.

  Amber Nicole Thurman, Donald Trump, Georgia, Kamala Harris, Madison, Piedmont Henry Hospital, Roe v. Wade, Wisconsin