Travelling to US when pregnant

[Vintagegoth]

Someone I know who is pregnant is travelling to the US, specifically Texas, for several months. I expressed surprise that they would choose to do that considering the mess that is the law around abortion and women's reproductive health in the US at the moment. My husband says IABU. What do people think?

Some pretty naive posters on here.

A third woman has died under Texas’ abortion ban as doctors reach for riskier miscarriage treatments - The Texas Tribune https://share.google/g4Z3mRQt0tu8pVJl6

Woman dies after abortion care for miscarriage delayed over 40 hours: Report - ABC News https://share.google/L6hUhwAS8uNu6yDqi

Or you could be arrested for having a miscarriage:

Five Months in Jail—for a Miscarriage - by Jessica Valenti https://share.google/J6VSBC8ce40tihxBH

Which state were you in and when was this?

Because there have been multiple cases in the US recently where women have been left to die because they’ve been refused the abortion that would have saved their life. There are cases of women being kept alive artificially because medics think that keeping the baby alive is more important than the welfare and rights of the mother.

@Clearinguptheclutter

Yes, one can give up US Citizenship. It currently costs US $2350.

Actually Boris Johnson was born in New York when his father was working there.

A few years ago (before he married Carrie) he was travelling on a family vacation to Mexico but in transit via the USA. US citizens must travel in and out of the States on a US passport, which he didn’t have - so he was refused entry into the USA! He had to return to the UK and fly from Spain.

He formally rescinded his US citizenship shortly afterwards.

Woman dies after abortion care for miscarriage delayed over 40 hours: Report - ABC News https://share.google/L6hUhwAS8uNu6yDqi
Yes, let's put 2 and 2 together and make it 100.

There is nothing in this article that evidences that she died of the infection because of the delay in starting the intervention. You know that women, all over the world, including the UK die after child birth due to infections!

A very sad case, but let's not make it that pregnant women are at high risk of death in Texas compared to elsewhere! That is unl as you believe naively everything you read on the media.

I mean if they want to travel there that’s their business, I’d suggest they carefully check their travel insurance policy though. A friend went into early labour in the states, wrongly assumed she’d be covered by her health and travel insurance for maternity cover, the baby had to remain in hospital for a while and the bill was enormous. I believe they are still paying it off 6 years later.

A very close friend has recently moved from Texas to a much more caring state after falling foul of the draconian 'abortion' laws.

At 6 +3 weeks pregnant she developed pain. An ultrasound showed that it was sadly a tubal ectopic pregnancy. Even more sadly, as her only symptom was relatively mild pain, they wouldn't end the pregnancy until her life was at risk. She had to wait till she was 11 weeks pregnant, with a pregnancy that would never result in a live birth, and ended up having surgery. She had to spend 5 weeks pregnant, knowing that her tube could rupture at any point, where as at 6 weeks pregnant it could have all been dealt with, with abortion pills, with no risk.

Yes, it's an anecdotal story. But it's terrifying.

I would have thought the potential issue would be staying a few months, and how far along she would be for flying back. Airline policy varies. They might refuse her return flight.

I think it best to be aware of ICE and all that too. Visibly pregnant in Texas, foreign accent and passport, tourist visa ? I suppose that aspect would come down to where in Texas. Blue cities fine, red counties maybe not.

Of course you can get rid of your US citizenship!

It's completely possible to renounce and it's on the increase (relatively speaking.) You have to pay and will be called to an interview at the embassy (and there may be an 'exit' fee, which depends on your assets.)

However, the parents cannot do this on the child's behalf, the child has to do it once they are 18. The parents can also not 'refuse' the citizenship, i.e. leave the hospital w/o a social security number.

I am a survivor of an ectopic and I very much doubt this story is true, as presented here. An ectopic would not last 11 weeks, the mother's tubes would rupture. There is a high risk of death in these situations. I am sure they didn't make her wait that long.

So you are calling me a liar because your experience was different?

Her tube ruptured at 11 +1, which is when they finally operated on her. Yes, there is a high risk of death - but they would not end the pregnancy until there was a clear risk to life. That is the entire point.

Happy to be corrected about renouncing your us citizenship

but it sounds like an admin nightmare (and extremely expensive) if your kid is accidentally born early

In some states they’re trying to push the narrative that you can relocate an ectopic. It’s terrifying.

Yes. This. It IS terrifying. Ignorant men have announced that ectopic pregnancies can survive, that they can relocate, and that has ended up being used against women.

I don't see how anyone can just go "I don't believe you so it doesn't matter". With UK politics trying to copy the US in every single way, we should be very concerned.

You said the 'tube could rupture' in your first post. Now you are saying her tube ruptured at 11 weeks which is of course what would have happened in reality (if she did have to wait that long, if not before.) You said the story was 'anecdotal' as well.

She’s booked a holiday, not an abortion. Relax.

You are absolutely incorrect. The laws in Texas are draconian right now and Doctors and staff are on record refusing to treat pregnant or muscarrying women for fear of being accused of being responsible for an abortion. They don’t just “prioritize “ the fetus they can and do refuse or delay care. If you like the laws—fine! But stop lting about them and their effect. Obstetrical care in Texas, Oklahoma, and other red states is a dying profession right now as doctors are afraid to practice.

I agree with your husband, your concern seems a bit OTT, they do have different laws and as I understand it, where the risk to the mother’s life is not perceived as significant then they won’t allow abortion but they will prioritise the mother in clear cut cases. I think for most women with a wanted pregnancy they would want their baby to be given the best chance anyway?

I wouldn't go to Texas pregnant now and I live in the USA.

I had a horrible experience having a miscarriage pre-referendum in Ireland.

All ended well but I wasn't convinced they were giving me the correct care. They just left me to miscarry naturally because they didn't believe the dates I gave them and they thought the baby might be younger than i said and thats why they couldn't hear a heartbeat.

However, despite this, the maternity care in Ireland was and is very good. I had a few babies there with no issues and lovely midwives/drs.

I think a lot of women in Ireland had unpleasant experiences, (eg travelling to procure a medically needed abortion) very very few actually died like Savita did.

If not for Ryanairs cheap flights abortion reform would likely have happened a lot earlier!

I think its a very low risk to travel to Texas but make sure insurance is good!

I think the most relevant fact here is that the United States has some of the best healthcare in the world for pregnant mothers and pre-term babies. As long as she is suitably insured she will be fine.

I said it is anecdotal because it's isn't published, or in research. I am sharing an anecdote from a close friends personal experience.

And excuse me for very slightly miswording the original post. I wasn't putting every ounce of effort in.

Her tube did rupture and she lost her tube. She had major surgery which could have been avoided.

They won’t. The only change in US law on abortion is that it is a state competency, not a federal competency. Each state is the size of a European country, so it’s like having different laws in Portugal and Spain. They still have a federal obligation to the health of the mother. The one incident you mention was disturbing, but was pretty unique and occurred before that legal change outlined above.

They will.

I work in maternal/child health (not clinical) in the US. If she were going to New York or California I would agree. Texas already underperformed due to appalling public health policies. The abortion bans have been shown to increase maternal mortality. Doctors are afraid to act if the fetus still has a heartbeat. Hospital leadership is terrified of lawsuits. And Texas is massive. It’s not like being in Indiana where three neighbouring states have sensible laws.

I am normally not the person who talks people out of coming to the US. this is different.