Doctors Confirm Pro-Life Law Not Responsible for Pregnant Woman’s Death
Doctors and medical experts have confirmed that North Carolina’s pro-life law was not responsible for the death of a pregnant woman who succumbed to heart complications.
They are emphasizing that her tragedy stemmed from inexplicable medical decisions and a lack of specialized training rather than any legal barriers to care.
Ciji Graham, a 34-year-old police officer, died on November 19, 2023, from cardiac arrhythmia due to atrial fibrillation amid her early pregnancy.
Graham, who was about six weeks pregnant, sought treatment for a rapid heartbeat reaching 192 beats per minute, but was sent home without immediate intervention, despite experts deeming such care standard and safe during pregnancy.
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Graham visited cardiologist Dr. Sabina Custovic on November 14, 2023, who diagnosed atrial fibrillation but declined to perform cardioversion — a procedure to restore normal heart rhythm that Graham had received before.
According to a text Graham sent to a friend, the doctor “Said she can’t cardiovert being pregnant.”
Experts reviewing the case called this refusal “inexplicable,” noting that cardioversion “is safe and effective in pregnancy,” per Heart Rhythm Society guidance.
The next day, Graham saw electrophysiologist Dr. Will Camnitz at Cone Health, who prescribed blood thinners and planned cardioversion in three weeks if needed, without ordering a repeat EKG to confirm her rhythm.
Dr. Kayle Shapero, a cardio-obstetrics specialist at Brown University, described this as, “He’s an electrophysiologist and he didn’t do that, which is insane.”
Dr. Jenna Skowronski, a cardiologist at the University of North Carolina, said, “I can’t think of any situation where I would feel comfortable sending anyone home with a heart rate of 192.”
Dr. Daniel Levine, a Rhode Island cardiologist, stressed, “No mother, no baby,” underscoring the priority of treating the mother’s condition.
North Carolina’s law allows abortion through 12 weeks for any reason and at any time in medical emergencies to avert death or serious physical impairment. At six weeks, Graham faced no legal restriction, though she scheduled an abortion for November 28, erroneously thinking that ending her baby’s life would help hers, but died before then.
Pro-life advocates argue the case highlights training gaps, with a Journal of the American Heart Association study noting, “A large proportion of the cardiology workforce feels uncomfortable providing care to these patients,” as fewer than 30% have formal training in pregnancy-related heart issues.
Cone Health stated its “treatment for pregnant women with underlying cardiac disease is consistent with accepted standards of care in our region.”
Pro-life experts view the incident as a call for better medical education and support for high-risk pregnancies, not evidence against laws protecting unborn babies.
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