Article Summary –
Laurel Marcinkus, a high-risk pregnancy case due to her chronic health conditions, emphasized the dangers posed by restrictive abortion laws when her life-threatening situation required multiple medical confirmations before inducing labor, despite the fetus having slim survival chances. This delay resulted from legal interpretations following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, which restricted terminations unless the pregnant person’s life was unquestionably at risk. Marcinkus, who lost her daughter Ember shortly after birth, advocates for awareness and change, highlighting the significant emotional and physical toll caused by such legal stipulations and the reluctance of medical professionals due to legal fears.
Laurel Marcinkus, 30, is a mother, motivational speaker, and advocate for disability and reproductive rights, residing in Kenosha, Wisconsin with her husband and 4-year-old son.
In July 2022, a month after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Marcinkus became pregnant. By September, she was diagnosed with a uterine blood clot, considered routine by doctors, during her first trimester.
Marcinkus, dealing with high-risk pregnancies due to chronic health conditions like cerebral palsy, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), faced complications when a blood clot caused placental abruption between her 20th and 21st weeks.
Following the Roe reversal, Wisconsin law was interpreted to ban abortion unless the pregnant individual’s life was at risk. Despite Marcinkus’ danger, her fetus’s heartbeat meant labor couldn’t be induced until her condition was confirmed by multiple exams. Fetuses at 21 weeks have a slim chance of survival.
Her doctors insisted on immediate labor induction, but legal restrictions required two doctors and two ultrasounds to confirm her condition.
“It’s dangerous even where the mother’s life is considered,” Marcinkus told the Wisconsin Independent. Her water broke around 6 or 7 p.m., yet labor wasn’t induced until the following day, approximately 24 hours post-admission.
Obstetrician Kristin Lyerly stated it is standard to offer a termination for early water breakage, indicating the risks of delayed action.
Marcinkus expressed frustration over unnecessary evaluations amid life-threatening conditions. “When someone’s dying, expecting coherence after severe conditions is ridiculous,” she stated.
Despite Wisconsin’s legalization of abortion in September 2023, Lyerly noted some hospitals still demand two doctors’ approval for late-term procedures.
“Fear of legal consequences keeps doctors from acting,” said Lyerly.
Marcinkus said her daughter, Ember Rose, died two hours after birth, symbolizing resilience: “An ember in a dwindling fire, a symbol of hope and not giving up,” she shared, encouraging others to “carry the ember” forward.
Determined to prevent similar experiences, Marcinkus speaks out: “I can’t sleep if I don’t stand up and educate others to help prevent this from happening.”
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