Abortion Bans and Maternal Health: One Wisconsin Woman’s Story

It is a powerful conversation underscoring the deep emotional and physical toll of abortion bans, Dr. Kristin Lyerly and Laurel Marcinkus, a Wisconsin mother who faced life-threatening complications during her pregnancy, recently joined Jane Matenaer and Greg Bach, hosts of Matenaer on Air, to discuss the harrowing experience. 

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Watch the full interview here:

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Marcinkus shares her story which exposes the real dangers women are facing when a pregnancy goes wrong, and abortion laws restrict access to necessary medical care. She had been diagnosed with a blood clot in her uterus, but her pregnancy turned tragic when she experienced a placental abruption. It caused her water to break prematurely. The situation became even more critical when a near-total abortion ban caused delays in her treatment. It forced Marcinkus to wait for hours despite being in a life-threatening condition. Sadly, her baby lived for two hours after birth. 

“The prolonged wait for medical help ended up being a tragic, traumatic experience I’ll never forget,” Marcinkus explains.

Her heartbreaking journey highlights the reality women in states with abortion bans face, including delayed care, emotional trauma, and a constant threat of maternal mortality.

Dr. Lyerly also emphasizes the dire consequences of these laws and explains that in states like Texas, sepsis rates for women experiencing pregnancy complications have skyrocketed. 

“These are not just statistics,” Lyerly says. “These are real people, mothers, and families torn apart.”

The debate over abortion laws continues. But personal stories like the one shared by Laurel Marcinkus could urge the nation to reevaluate the human cost of restricting access to abortion. It is life-saving care women need and deserve.