In Our Own Voice Statement on the Preventable Death of Amber Nicole Thurman

“Amber Nicole Thurman did not die — she was killed as a direct result of Georgia’s archaic and dangerous six-week abortion ban. What should have been a routine D&C procedure to remove fetal tissue from her uterus, instead resulted in her being left to die in her hospital bed because doctors were too scared to operate out of fear of being arrested. Her six year old son should have been watching his mom graduate from nursing school. Instead, he had to watch his mom being lowered into her grave at her funeral. This is unconscionable.”

“What happened to Amber Nicole Thurman was entirely preventable, but this is the post-Dobbs reality for so many Black women, girls and gender-expansive people who live in states like Georgia that not only restrict access, but criminalize the procedure. Doctors are not able to provide the best medical care possible, and Black women–who already face disproportionately high rates of maternal mortality–are dying preventable deaths.

Reproductive Justice advocates have been sounding the alarm for years about abortion restrictions leading to worse maternal health and emergency reproductive care outcomes. In Our Own Voice’s recent poll found that 40% of Black women of reproductive age feel less safe and are unsure if they want to have kids as a result of the Dobbs decision. What’s clear from this tragedy is that our lives are on the line. We must urgently fight to elect leaders committed to dismantling abortion bans and advancing comprehensive policies rooted in Reproductive Justice. Anything short of this is a direct threat on our lives.”