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Texas Women Expected to Turn to Abortion Black Market

Reproductive justice advocates say, 'We won't go back!'

After the Texas Senate's passage of a drastic anti-abortion bill Friday evening, reproductive health advocates say the number of women who will be forced to get 'black market abortions' near the US-Mexico border is likely to skyrocket.

"This law will lead a lot more women to try self-abortion," Jackie F., a 24-year-old food server and student who had received a legal medical abortion, told the New York Times.

Texas women were already traveling to the US-Mexico border to obtain lower-cost, and significantly less safe, abortions on the black market.

Flea markets at the Texas side of the border sell Cytotec, an ulcer drug that can also induce abortions, the New York Timesreported Saturday.

Experts warn that these 'flea market abortions are extremely dangerous. When legally administered, the abortion pill is given with a steroid, and patients are closely monitored for complications that can arise, with follow-up appointments to ensure the success of the medical abortion.

If an incorrect dose is administered, dangerous conditions can develop, including heavy bleeding and partial abortions. Furthermore, women can fail to successfully terminate their pregnancy.

Bloomberg reports:

William West, a physician at Whole Women's Health in McAllen, said he sees patients daily who have taken black-market abortion drugs. Many are bleeding or still pregnant, he said.

Studies show that restrictions to abortion services have no impact on the numbers of those who seek to terminate their pregnancies, but simply force them to turn to more dangerous methods.

The bill, which is almost certain to be signed into law by Governor Rick Perry after passing the Senate, will wipe out most abortion clinics in the state, ban the procedure after 20 weeks, and decimate access for low-income women who already faced prohibitive costs.

The republican-controlled legislature has been met with passionate protests from reproductive justice advocates across Texas and the US. The slogan 'We won't go back!'--referring to dangerous black market abortions women are forced to turn to when safe abortion access is restricted or banned--has been a clarion call of the mobilizations.

_____________________

An Unconstitutional Rampage


Trump and Musk are on an unconstitutional rampage, aiming for virtually every corner of the federal government. These two right-wing billionaires are targeting nurses, scientists, teachers, daycare providers, judges, veterans, air traffic controllers, and nuclear safety inspectors. No one is safe. The food stamps program, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are next.

It’s an unprecedented disaster and a five-alarm fire, but there will be a reckoning. The people did not vote for this. The American people do not want this dystopian hellscape that hides behind claims of “efficiency.” Still, in reality, it is all a giveaway to corporate interests and the libertarian dreams of far-right oligarchs like Musk.

Common Dreams is playing a vital role by reporting day and night on this orgy of corruption and greed, as well as what everyday people can do to organize and fight back. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover issues the corporate media never will, but we can only continue with our readers’ support.

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mexicotexas

After the Texas Senate's passage of a drastic anti-abortion bill Friday evening, reproductive health advocates say the number of women who will be forced to get 'black market abortions' near the US-Mexico border is likely to skyrocket.

"This law will lead a lot more women to try self-abortion," Jackie F., a 24-year-old food server and student who had received a legal medical abortion, told the New York Times.

Texas women were already traveling to the US-Mexico border to obtain lower-cost, and significantly less safe, abortions on the black market.

Flea markets at the Texas side of the border sell Cytotec, an ulcer drug that can also induce abortions, the New York Timesreported Saturday.

Experts warn that these 'flea market abortions are extremely dangerous. When legally administered, the abortion pill is given with a steroid, and patients are closely monitored for complications that can arise, with follow-up appointments to ensure the success of the medical abortion.

If an incorrect dose is administered, dangerous conditions can develop, including heavy bleeding and partial abortions. Furthermore, women can fail to successfully terminate their pregnancy.

Bloomberg reports:

William West, a physician at Whole Women's Health in McAllen, said he sees patients daily who have taken black-market abortion drugs. Many are bleeding or still pregnant, he said.

Studies show that restrictions to abortion services have no impact on the numbers of those who seek to terminate their pregnancies, but simply force them to turn to more dangerous methods.

The bill, which is almost certain to be signed into law by Governor Rick Perry after passing the Senate, will wipe out most abortion clinics in the state, ban the procedure after 20 weeks, and decimate access for low-income women who already faced prohibitive costs.

The republican-controlled legislature has been met with passionate protests from reproductive justice advocates across Texas and the US. The slogan 'We won't go back!'--referring to dangerous black market abortions women are forced to turn to when safe abortion access is restricted or banned--has been a clarion call of the mobilizations.

_____________________

After the Texas Senate's passage of a drastic anti-abortion bill Friday evening, reproductive health advocates say the number of women who will be forced to get 'black market abortions' near the US-Mexico border is likely to skyrocket.

"This law will lead a lot more women to try self-abortion," Jackie F., a 24-year-old food server and student who had received a legal medical abortion, told the New York Times.

Texas women were already traveling to the US-Mexico border to obtain lower-cost, and significantly less safe, abortions on the black market.

Flea markets at the Texas side of the border sell Cytotec, an ulcer drug that can also induce abortions, the New York Timesreported Saturday.

Experts warn that these 'flea market abortions are extremely dangerous. When legally administered, the abortion pill is given with a steroid, and patients are closely monitored for complications that can arise, with follow-up appointments to ensure the success of the medical abortion.

If an incorrect dose is administered, dangerous conditions can develop, including heavy bleeding and partial abortions. Furthermore, women can fail to successfully terminate their pregnancy.

Bloomberg reports:

William West, a physician at Whole Women's Health in McAllen, said he sees patients daily who have taken black-market abortion drugs. Many are bleeding or still pregnant, he said.

Studies show that restrictions to abortion services have no impact on the numbers of those who seek to terminate their pregnancies, but simply force them to turn to more dangerous methods.

The bill, which is almost certain to be signed into law by Governor Rick Perry after passing the Senate, will wipe out most abortion clinics in the state, ban the procedure after 20 weeks, and decimate access for low-income women who already faced prohibitive costs.

The republican-controlled legislature has been met with passionate protests from reproductive justice advocates across Texas and the US. The slogan 'We won't go back!'--referring to dangerous black market abortions women are forced to turn to when safe abortion access is restricted or banned--has been a clarion call of the mobilizations.

_____________________

mexicotexas
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