Abortion ban could pose health risks for women, advocate says

What does the future look like for women on the border if abortion is outlawed?

In Texas’ most southern regional area, here in the Valley, there’s only one clinic where women can legally get an abortion: The Whole Women’s Health Clinic in McAllen.

The next closest clinic is nearly four hours north in San Antonio.

Women who live and work in the Valley are hoping to protect this clinic and one way they’re doing it is by protesting a leaked opinion draft from the Supreme Court that suggests Roe vs. Wade will be overturned, which would trigger a law here in Texas that would ban abortion altogether.

“People in the Valley already face many challenges, many barriers that might be a little bit different from the rest of the nation,” said Paula Saldaña, a field organizer for the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice. “So, this just comes and adds more burden to people that are seeking abortion access.” 

Saldaña says banning abortions would pose a health risk for women in the Valley. 

Frontera Fund RGV, a nonprofit organization that pays for women living on the border to travel out of state to get an abortion, says since Senate Bill 8 went into effect last year, they’ve sponsored between 40 to 45 Valley women a month to travel out of state. It costs between $1,000 to $1,500 per person.

Saldana says that the majority of the women her team works with are becoming more fearful to seek out healthcare. 

She reminds women that abortion is still legal in Texas, even though there are restrictions.

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