AUSTIN, Texas — Three years have passed since Josseli Barnica tragically passed away, leaving behind her young daughter and husband. The 28-year-old from Houston experienced a miscarriage at 17 weeks, a situation that became dire due to a delay in medical intervention. Reports indicate that Barnica’s cervix was already open and the fetus was on the verge of delivery.
A recent investigation revealed that medical professionals made Barnica wait 40 hours for the fetus’s heartbeat to cease before performing a necessary medical abortion. This prolonged waiting period led to an infection that contributed to her untimely death.
Family members suggest that Barnica was informed that it would be illegal for doctors to act prior to confirming the absence of a fetal heartbeat. This situation unfolded shortly after Texas’s six-week abortion ban came into effect, which mandated that healthcare providers document a confirmed absence of fetal heartbeat before any intervention could occur.
Dozens of healthcare professionals believe Barnica’s death could have been prevented, and waiting to take action deviated from established medical standards of care. According to the communications director of Texas Alliance for Life, the situation is tragic yet preventable. She emphasized that medical practitioners should have a clear understanding of existing laws, insisting that Barnica required medical care from a physician well-versed in the legal landscape.
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