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3w ago

ProPublica Wins Consecutive Pulitzers for Exposing Maternal Deaths Under Abortion Bans

The investigative series ‘Life of the Mother’ prompted legislative reforms in Texas and beyond, highlighting the life-threatening consequences of vague abortion laws.

Pregnant mother.
Candace Fails poses for a portrait holding a picture of her late daughter, Nevaeh Crain, at her home in Vidor, Texas on October 24, 2024. Crain passed away on October 29, 2023 at 25 weeks of pregnancy due to preventable causes, including hemorrhaging, after seeking medical help at various hospitals. (Courtesy: Danielle Villasana/ProPublica)
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Overview

  • ProPublica has been awarded the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, marking its second consecutive win in the category.
  • The ‘Life of the Mother’ series investigated preventable maternal deaths caused by delayed care due to unclear ‘life of the mother’ exceptions in abortion bans.
  • The reporting spurred the Texas Senate to unanimously pass SB 31, clarifying medical emergency exceptions under the state’s strict abortion laws.
  • At least seven states have introduced over a dozen bills to expand or clarify abortion exceptions in response to the series.
  • A U.S. Senate Finance Committee report found hospitals often lack protocols to guide doctors in abortion-related emergencies, echoing the investigation's findings.