Published

April 03, 2025

AUSTIN, TX — The latest Induced Termination of Pregnancy (ITOP) report from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission confirms what Texas Alliance for Life has long maintained — Texas abortion law clearly has an exception to allow physicians to provide medically necessary abortions when a pregnant woman’s life or a major bodily function is at risk. However, some physicians and hospital attorneys still claim that Texas law prevents doctors from performing abortions to save women’s lives. The “Life of the Mother Act,” currently being considered in the Texas Legislature, would educate doctors and lawyers about the carefully written exception that allows abortions in those relatively rare cases.

According to the report, doctors have reported performing 151 medically-necessary abortions from the time the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022 through November 2024, the latest month available, about 60 per year.

The Life of the Mother Act, SB 31 by Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) and HB 44 by Rep. Charlie Geren (R-Fort Worth), will ensure that physicians and hospital attorneys receive Continuing Medical Education (CME) and Continuing Legal Education (CLE) on how Texas law works in practice.

“Texas Alliance for Life strongly supports the Life of the Mother Act because doctors need to know that the Texas law allows them to perform abortions in rare and tragic cases when medically necessary to save the pregnant woman’s life or major bodily function,” said Joe Pojman, Ph.D., Executive Director of Texas Alliance for Life. “Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, doctors have reported performing 151 abortions under that exception — about 60 per year. No doctor has been prosecuted, sued, or sanctioned for any of those abortions. No woman has lost her life for lack of an exception in the law.”

“These numbers affirm that our state law is saving women’s lives while protecting unborn babies from abortion,” Pojman continued. “We are grateful that lawmakers are advancing legislation to educate physicians and attorneys to ensure pregnant women receive the care they deserve.”

The Human Life Protection Act, which protects unborn children from elective abortion throughout pregnancy, went into effect in August 2022, shortly after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

CONTACT
Amy O’Donnell, Communications Director
512.477.1244 (o)
amy@texasallianceforlife.org

# # #