Atlanta Rally Underscores Urgent Crisis in Maternal Health Amid Restrictive Abortion Laws

Atlanta Rally Highlights Dire Impact of Restrictive Abortion Laws on Maternal Health

Atlanta, GA

At an emotional rally for reproductive rights at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre last Friday, Vice President Kamala Harris brought to life the heartbreaking story of Amber Nicole Thurman. Quoting Thurman’s last plea to her mother, “Promise me you’ll take care of my son,” Harris underscored the human cost of Georgia’s restrictive abortion laws.

Thurman, a 28-year-old medical assistant, was a single mother of a 6-year-old boy. She is one of at least two women who, according to recent reports, died due to complications exacerbated by the state’s stringent abortion restrictions. The other woman, 41-year-old Candi Miller, reportedly delayed seeking medical care out of fear of these laws. Their stories, which have deeply moved the community, highlight a growing crisis in maternal health care in Georgia.

Harris was in Atlanta for a campaign rally focused on the critical need for reproductive freedom. Her message reverberated through the crowd, echoing the concerns of medical providers, Democratic state officials, and reproductive rights advocates across the state. They argue that laws restricting abortion access are leading to an increase in pregnancy-related deaths, disproportionately impacting Black and brown women, even in cases of wanted pregnancies.

The rally came shortly after the release of a study explicitly linking pregnancy-related fatalities to Georgia’s abortion ban. This connection was highlighted by a 2023 report from the Georgia Department of Public Health, which showed that 89% of pregnancy-related deaths in Georgia had at least some chance of being prevented.

Dr. Michelle Nelson, a professor of nursing at Clayton State University and the Georgia State Liaison for the American Association of Nursing Practitioners, addressed the crowd with a critical view of the state’s healthcare system. “This abortion ban has created confusion and fear for providers like me in this state,” Nelson said. She explained that the fear induced by these laws is causing medical students to avoid doing their residencies in Georgia, worsening an already dire healthcare provider shortage. Out of the state’s 159 counties, 82 do not have a practicing OBGYN.

State Rep. Park Cannon, who is part of the Georgia House Democratic Caucus’s Committee on Maternal Mortality, also took the stage. “The families of Amber and Candi, they’re forced to mourn someone who should be here today, and this reality exists for so many other families who have run out of options and can’t access basic reproductive health care,” Cannon stressed. She also criticized the previous administration’s handling of Medicaid, noting that their reluctance to expand Medicaid has further strained maternal healthcare.

During her speech, Harris painted a vivid picture of Thurman’s life, describing her dreams of attending nursing school and her recent move into a new apartment with her son. Unfortunately, after traveling out of state for an abortion and facing complications back in Georgia, Thurman could not get timely medical attention due to the new law. “Under the (former President Donald) Trump abortion ban, her doctors could have faced up to a decade in prison for providing Amber the care she needed,” Harris stated emphatically. “Understand what the law like this means: Doctors have to wait until the patient is at death’s door before they take action.”

Harris concluded her speech by rejecting Trump’s framing of abortion as a state’s rights issue. “Since Roe was overturned, every time reproductive freedom was on the ballot—from Kansas to California to Kentucky, in Michigan, Montana, Vermont, and Ohio—the people of America have voted for freedom,” she declared. “This is not a partisan issue, and it is proving that the voice of the people has been heard and will be heard again.”

The rally drew a passionate response, symbolizing a collective call to action to address the ongoing maternal health crisis in Georgia. The stories of Thurman and Miller serve as poignant reminders of the real human cost of restrictive abortion laws and the urgent need for change.