HOUSTON — It was a harsh blow to abortion advocates Thursday as the U.S. Supreme Court denied their request for an emergency block on Texas's new abortion law.
That means the law continues to stand in the state of Texas until another court intervenes.
The new law now bans nearly 90 percent of all abortions in Texas, meaning the only option left for women, past six weeks of pregnancy, is to cross state lines.
On any given day, Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast would have 20 to 30 pregnant women come in for an ultrasound – a mandatory measure in Texas – to get an abortion.
On Wednesday, the day the new law went into effect, only seven ultrasounds were performed. Of those, only three women were under the six-week limit to have an abortion.
“This bill is in direct violation of Roe v. Wade," said Melaney Linton, President & CEO of Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast.
Linton said women over six weeks are now forced to go out of state to get the procedure.
“Childcare, time off of work, travel, money, these are all things that patients have to take into consideration," Linton said.
Which, she said, will impact low-income families most of all.
“Everybody who is already living a difficult life. This is just going to make their lives a lot more difficult," Linton said.
But abortion rights groups want you to know they want to help.
“They are not alone. There are resources available to them," said Caroline Duble, political director of Avow Texas.
Duble said they launched a website two days ago to help raise money for women seeking out-of-state treatment.
She said they've already raised over $1 million -- money that will be split among 10 state abortion funds.
“They give it to people who need access to abortion care, and they help coordinate that process," Duble said.
But this law may eventually impact where you can go.
"With this bill, we do hope to see an end to abortion," said Mary Castle, Texas Values policy adviser.
And other states, like South Carolina, could soon look into doing the same thing.
“That's good news, and we'll do, in South Carolina, whatever's necessary to protect life at every stage," South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said.
And the concern over that happening has made it’s way to the nation’s capital.
"Of course we're worried that other states, where there is a movement and an effort to prevent women from having access to health care, will copycat these steps that happened in Texas," said Jen Psaki, White House Press Secretary.
For more information on abortion and the abortion funds, visit https://needabortion.org/
There are many resources available for pregnant women who want to seek adoption or other alternatives. Here are just a few: