Propublica received the Pulitzer Award for Public Service on Monday for its “Life of the Mother” series. This series inaccurately suggests that a Georgia woman who died after taking abortion medication did so because of the state’s abortion laws.
The report covered Amber Thurman, a 28-year-old woman who died after a doctor in Georgia delayed 20 hours before providing the necessary care. It implies that the delay was due to the abortion laws in the state.
Propublica noted that at least two women in Georgia have died because they lacked access to timely medical care or legal abortion. This article is one of their stories.
Thurman had missed her surgical abortion appointment in North Carolina, and according to Propublica, clinic staff prescribed her a chemical abortion using mifepristone and misoprostol.
1. Abortion pills killed Amber Nicole Thurman
2. Propublica condemns her death in relation to state abortion laws
3. Propublica wins Pulitzer for misleading information
– John Hasson (@sonofhas) May 5, 2025
Shortly after, her boyfriend called an ambulance when she began vomiting. An obstetrician at Piedmont Henry Hospital in Stockbridge, Georgia, diagnosed her with acute and severe sepsis, as reported by the nonprofit.
Thurman died about 20 hours after the hospital acknowledged her condition. A maternal mortality review board suggested that had doctors performed a dilation and curettage (D&C) procedure earlier, she might have had a “good chance” of survival, according to Propublica.
The report mistakenly referred to the procedure as illegal, suggesting it was the cause of the delay in treatment.
Instead of conducting newly criminalized procedures, the report stated, doctors chose to gather information and administer medications.
Separate articles in Propublica’s “Life of the Mother” series admitted that the fetuses were already deceased.
Medically, Thurman’s pregnancy had ended, yet the report suggested that the state’s abortion ban classified the D&C as illegal, creating a risk of prison time for doctors.
Georgia’s abortion ban does not criminalize performing D&C under specific circumstances outlined in the law, which allows exceptions for rape, incest, or medical emergencies. It also permits procedures deemed “medically useless.”
The term “medical waste” refers to situations where a fetus has severe abnormalities incompatible with life after birth.
D&C is frequently utilized by physicians to remove fetal tissue in cases of abortion or miscarriage, and it can also serve diagnostic purposes.
Propublica speculated that doctors at Piedmont Henry may have hesitated due to concerns about Thurman’s use of abortion pills, although they did not confirm this.
No doctor has faced charges regarding the abortion ban.
There’s a consensus among various sources, including Propublica and National Review, that doctors delayed performing the D&C for too long.
Thurman exhibited signs of an acute infection upon hospital entry, yet the surgery was postponed for 20 hours. By the time she underwent the procedure, it was too late.
The reasons for this extended wait remain unclear, and Propublica could not obtain answers from involved parties.
Doctors and nursing staff regarding Thurman’s care did not provide any comments, and the hospital’s communication team did not respond to inquiries. Georgia’s Department of Public Health, responsible for the review committee, stated it was unable to comment due to federal restrictions on the committee’s findings.
Despite a lack of concrete information, some organizations have strongly implied that abortion laws led to Thurman’s death.
Propublica reported that rare deaths resulting from abortion medications occur and noted that the FDA warns of complications related to Mifeprex.
One in 25 women taking Mifeprex may need emergency care, according to the FDA.
The risk increases with longer pregnancies, as nearly 40% of women using abortion medication after 84 days require additional surgery, with 4% experiencing severe infections.
The FDA approved Mifepristone in 2000, initially recommending that it not be used after seven weeks of pregnancy. Under the Obama administration, this was expanded to ten weeks. Thurman was nine weeks pregnant at the time she took the medication.
