Louisiana woman travels to New York for abortion of fetus with no skull

A Louisiana woman who was denied an abortion after her fetus was diagnosed with a fatal condition traveled to New York to receive the procedure earlier this month. 

Nancy Davis said last month that she was not allowed to have the procedure after doctors told her the fetus had acrania, a condition in which its skull does not form inside the womb. A child cannot survive the abnormality. 

Her lawyer, prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump, tweeted a video of him and Davis meeting with talk show host Phil McGraw about her experience being denied an abortion in Louisiana and going to New York for the procedure.

Davis said in the video that she was 16 weeks pregnant when she had the procedure in New York. She learned about the fetus’ abnormality 10 weeks into the pregnancy. 

Abortion in Louisiana is banned unless the mother faces a substantial risk of death or impairment if they continue the pregnancy, or if the pregnancy is considered “medically futile.” 

But Davis was not allowed to receive an abortion as a result of the fetus “still having a heartbeat,” despite doctors advising her to terminate the pregnancy. Doctors told her that they would not do the procedure over fear of facing prosecution for violating the state’s abortion ban. 

Crump said in his post that Louisiana must clarify what medical exceptions exist for its abortion law. 

“NO woman should be forced to choose to carry & then BURY their child!” Crump said. 

Davis told McGraw she felt she made the best decision given the situation, but it still has taken an emotional toll on her.