The association did not name the hospitals, but said it has received complaints that the hospitals, their administrators and attorneys may be preventing doctors from providing appropriate medical care in some cases, the Dallas Morning News reported. Texas law prohibits most abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy. A full ban – which includes exceptions if a woman’s life or health is at risk – will go into effect in the coming weeks following the US Supreme Court’s ruling last month that overturned Roe v. Wade. The letter, sent Wednesday to the Texas Medical Board, cited several examples in which medical care was delayed. In one case, a central Texas hospital allegedly told a doctor not to treat an ectopic pregnancy until it ruptured, the letter said. An ectopic pregnancy, which occurs when a fertilized egg attaches outside the uterus, is not viable. “Delayed or withheld care in this scenario creates a significant risk to the patient’s future reproductive capacity and poses a serious risk to the patient’s immediate physical well-being,” the letter said. The Texas Medical Board confirmed it received the letter, but a spokesman said the board could not confirm or deny any specific complaint. The Biden administration issued guidelines this week requiring hospitals to provide abortion services if the mother’s life is in danger. Texas sued Thursday over that guidance, arguing that the federal government is not authorized to require emergency health care providers to perform abortions.
