Dallas woman, Kate Cox, has left Texas to seek an abortion outside the state after filing a historic lawsuit last week. Cox's lawsuit, brought by the Center for Reproductive Rights, challenged the state's near-total ban on abortion due to her fetus having full trisomy 18, a lethal fetal anomaly. Despite her deteriorating health, Cox's doctors refused to perform the procedure, leading her to leave Texas in search of care.

On Thursday, Travis County District Judge Maya Guerra Gamble ruled that neither Cox, her husband, nor her OB/GYN should face criminal or civil penalties for terminating the pregnancy. However, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton quickly filed an emergency petition, urging the state Supreme Court to overturn the ruling. The high court has put Guerra Gamble's order on hold while they consider the case.

Cox's medical condition has been a source of concern amidst the legal battle, with her lawyers confirming that she has been in and out of the emergency room. Nancy Northup, president and CEO for the Center for Reproductive Rights, expressed the need for healthcare decisions to be made by medical professionals rather than politicians or judges.

The Center for Reproductive Rights intends to continue litigating the case before the Texas Supreme Court, as they aim to challenge the state's restrictive abortion laws. In November, the court also heard arguments in Zurawski v. Texas, where 20 women alleged being denied medical care for their complicated pregnancies due to the same laws.

Cox's lawyers have not disclosed the location where she will have the abortion, but emphasized the financial struggles faced by many women in Texas who are unable to leave the state promptly. With neighboring states also imposing bans on the procedure, Texans have been forced to seek services in New Mexico, Colorado, and Kansas, leading to delays in care. The Texas Tribune previously highlighted the story of a woman who carried a non-viable pregnancy to term due to financial constraints that prevented her from leaving the state.

It is evident that access to abortion and the impact of restrictive laws continue to be highly contentious issues in Texas. Cox's case, along with others, shed light on the urgent need for comprehensive debate and examination of women's reproductive rights.