Kate Cox: Texas woman in court fight leaves state for abortion

A Texas woman who sued the state to get an abortion for her high-risk pregnancy has left the state to have the procedure, her lawyers have said.

Kate Cox, 31, sought an abortion after her foetus was diagnosed with trisomy 18, a potentially fatal condition that doctors said threatened her fertility.

A lower court granted permission for an abortion, but the Texas Supreme Court put that decision on hold on Friday.

Texas has one of the strictest abortion bans in the country.

Abortions in the state are prohibited from the point of conception except in rare cases where the life of the expectant mother is under threat.

Abortion advocates argue the exception is too vague and puts women's health at risk.

According to Ms Cox's court filings, doctors refused to perform an abortion on her, saying their "hands were tied" as long as her baby had a heartbeat.

The mother of two was granted an exception by a Texas judge on Thursday. But the state's Attorney General Ken Paxton quickly threatened criminal prosecution against any doctors or healthcare providers who helped her obtain an abortion.

Mr Paxton also asked the state's Supreme Court to intervene. The court obliged, temporarily blocking Ms Cox from obtaining an abortion while it reviewed the case.

"This past week of legal limbo has been hellish for Kate," Nancy Northup, president and CEO at the Center for Reproductive Rights, said. "Her health is on the line. She's been in and out of the emergency room and she couldn't wait any longer."

"She desperately wanted to be able to get care where she lives and recover at home surrounded by family," Ms Northup added. "While Kate had the ability to leave the state, most people do not, and a situation like this could be a death sentence."

It is unclear where Ms Cox have travelled.