ATLANTA, Georgia – Women and health care providers testified before the Human Rights Subcommittee, chaired by Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., in Atlanta this week, detailing the dangerous effects of Georgia’s six-week abortion ban.
Nearly two years after the law went into effect, women are recounting how they were forced to continue high-risk pregnancies or seek critical medical care out of state.
Mackenzie Kulik, who lives in Atlanta, said complications in her second trimester did not qualify for an exemption under the law, leaving her with no choice but to leave Georgia to receive the care she needed.
“If I had not been able to travel out of state, I would have been forced to carry a nonviable pregnancy until the baby died in utero,” Kulik explained. “Or I would have developed an infection that threatened my health enough to qualify for an intervention. Or I would have had to deliver a baby, only to watch her suffer.”
The hearing brought attention to how Georgia’s abortion restrictions have limited medical options for people facing pregnancies with severe complications.
Yasmein Ziyad, a resident of Morrow, testified about her experience. After being denied care during a miscarriage, Ziyad said she experienced severe pain and complications. She told the committee her doctor feared the legal consequences of performing an abortion.
“I didn’t have to go through this,” Ziyad emphasized. “These laws created so much fear and confusion that I couldn’t get the care I needed, that would have spared me so much pain and suffering. As a result of what I went through, we have given up on hopes of ever being pregnant again.”
Medical professionals, including OB/GYNs, echoed the concerns, warning the ban is increasing maternal mortality rates and putting people’s health at risk.
The hearing comes as the story of Amber Nicole Thurman gains national attention. She died two years ago after delays in care due to the state’s restrictive laws. Her death was later ruled preventable by 10 doctors.
Georgia News Connection