ProPublica recently released the story of a woman who faced a life-threatening pregnancy complication in Tennessee in 2022. The outlet followed Mayron Michelle Hollis and her family for a year, inaccurately claiming that she was denied an abortion, and falsely blaming her long-term struggles on the state’s pro-life law.
The Tennessee law
Two months following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Tennessee enacted a law protecting the majority of preborn children from abortion. That law does allow induced abortion — the direct and intentional killing of preborn children — in situations in which the mother’s life is considered to be in danger. However, induced abortion is never medically necessary because the child does not have to be killed prior to (or after) delivery to save the mother’s life.
When the law took effect in August 2022, it did not specifically mention ectopic pregnancy, though it was later amended to include it. However, surgery for an ectopic pregnancy is not an induced abortion and is not prohibited by any law.
A risky pregnancy
Hollis told ABC News she was excited to be expecting her second child with her husband, Chris. She had recently given birth to their first child a few months prior and she had three other children who had been removed from her custody likely due to her ongoing struggles with addiction.
At eight weeks pregnant, Hollis was diagnosed with a C-section scar ectopic pregnancy, and placenta accreta, a potentially dangerous condition in which the placenta grows into the uterine wall. The rate of placenta accreta is increasing due to the rising use of C-sections. The pro-abortion American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists notes that other “prior uterine surgeries or curettage” such as a Dilation and Curettage (D&C) procedure (used for miscarriage management or for abortion), also increase the risk.
The risk of uterine rupture made it a dangerous situation and Hollis was legally allowed to end the pregnancy. She was offered an abortion and refused.
Hollis’ situation became more complex when the placenta began to grow through the uterine wall, putting other organs at risk. Scared, she decided she wanted an abortion, but the state’s pro-life law took effect the next day. One doctor was still willing to do the procedure because of the risk to Hollis’ health, but the doctors he needed to assist him were hesitant. Hollis was told to travel to Pittsburgh for the abortion, but couldn’t take the time off of work.
Dr. Christina Francis, a board-certified OBGYN and CEO of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, explained to Live Action News:
This story is a reminder of the need to offer patients holistic support during challenging pregnancies. Though we cannot make definitive statements about her case without looking at her medical records, it is clear based on what Pro Publica wrote that Ms. Hollis faced significant medical obstacles during her pregnancy.
The story describes a cesarean scar ectopic pregnancy – a potentially life-threatening condition for which treatment is not prohibited by any state law in the country. Pro-life laws aim to protect the lives, health, and dignity of both pregnant women and their preborn children – which can be done while still providing the highest quality of medical care.
It is imperative that physicians understand they can still provide life-saving care for women in every state in this country – this is how those of us who are pro-life physicians have always practiced.
Abortion wasn’t the answer
Despite ProPublica’s reporting, Hollis was not denied an abortion.
But thankfully, she didn’t have one because what media outlets didn’t report is that abortion in cases of placenta accreta is risky, even in the first trimester. One study reported that placenta accreta can “complicate a first-trimester abortion…” Researchers stated, “Most reports in the literature suggested … hysterectomy as the definitive treatment for first-trimester postabortal placenta accreta.” (emphasis added)
In the second trimester, abortion is considered “both controversial and rarely reported” with placenta accreta.
The abortion-friendly doctors (and ProPublica) were insistent that an abortion would save Hollis’ fertility, but this was not a guarantee.
In addition, aborting her baby could have compounded issues for Hollis. One cross-sectional study reported that post-abortive women saw triple-digit increases in the risk for alcohol abuse (261%), alcohol dependence (142%), drug abuse (313%), drug dependence (287%), and any substance use disorder (280%) following an abortion.
The delivery
Hollis’ placenta eventually attached to her bladder. Called placenta percreta, it’s the most dangerous form of placenta accreta. She was admitted to the hospital at 25 weeks with excessive bleeding, and doctors prepared for what is a standard delivery for placenta accreta.
Hollis underwent a C-section and hysterectomy at 26 weeks and needed a blood transfusion, as is common with this condition. Her medical team should have anticipated these needs, according to Amy Lukasik, who has experienced placenta percreta.
“They knew I would lose a lot of blood so they had as much on hand as they could,” Lukasik told Live Action News. She underwent a seven-hour surgery and doctors had blood on hand for the transfusions they expected. “The placenta had attached itself to the backside of my bladder, through the left ligament in the front, and they had to take it out and then repair the damage. The whole bottom of my uterus was gone. The placenta itself was holding [the baby] in. They did a hysterectomy and… I needed 32 units of blood in 72 hours.”
Hollis received eight units of packed red blood cells and six units of plasma. It is estimated she lost four units of blood but was released from the hospital just four days later. Despite needing interventions after birth, Hollis’ baby girl, Elayna, did well.
Help from the state
Miraculously, both mother and daughter survived, but rather than celebrate this, for the entirety of ProPublica’s story, the baby and the state are blamed for Hollis’ financial and addiction struggles, which existed before Elayna was conceived. Hollis and her husband are shown spiraling, with Hollis being arrested three times and cheating on her husband.
ProPublica alleges that Tennessee didn’t help them, but the state’s Medicaid program covered Elayna’s six-figure NICU stay. There was free therapy to support Elayna’s development, and, though Hollis was eligible for unemployment, she didn’t apply because “she didn’t understand the rules…” She also didn’t see a doctor after giving birth despite a new law that extended her Medicaid coverage for a year. She was provided a psychiatrist through a hospital research program for mothers recovering from opioid addiction, but she didn’t tell him that she had begun using alcohol. All were missed opportunities for help.
There are lingering questions regarding the state’s programs, however. Elayna was eligible for disability support and a home nurse. Hollis said she filled out paperwork for disability support but it took a year for the money — $914 a month — to be approved. Supposedly, the family never received it. Hollis also “ran into issues getting insurance to approve” the nurse. ProPublica reported, “In Tennessee, less than 3% of eligible children in low-income families are enrolled in evidence-based home visiting programs, one of the lowest rates in the country.”
The help is there, but it isn’t being accessed.
Tennessee also offers Families First, its Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. It emphasizes work, training, and personal responsibility and helps parents become self-sufficient through temporary cash assistance, transportation, child care assistance, educational support, and job training. But, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, “The annual federal TANF block grant has been frozen since its creation and lost about 47 percent of its value between 1997 and 2021 due to inflation.” The Congressional Research Service has reported a decline in assistance receipt among eligible families. According to Tennessee Outlook, Tennessee’s monthly cash payment for a family of three averages $387, ranking it among the lowest TANF cash payments in the nation. It should be noted that Tennessee has a low cost of living compared to the majority of other states, ranking in the top ten in US News’ cost of living report.
There is room for improvement in Tennessee’s state programs, but pro-life pregnancy centers exist to help women access these services. Last month, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee unveiled plans to give tens of millions of dollars to pro-life pregnancy centers to help mothers access free material goods, resources, and support. He believes Tennessee has a “moral obligation” to support families.
ProPublica blames an innocent baby and pro-life law for the struggles of two adults whose problems existed before the law or the baby existed. It’s a pathetic exploitation of a struggling family to justify abortion.
