Georgia disbands current maternal mortality committee over leaked abortion information

A Georgia official disbanded the state’s maternal mortality committee that investigates deaths of pregnant women. The decision came about after ProPublica obtained internal reports that showed two deaths were preventable, but doctors were hesitant to perform a procedure that could have saved them because of the state’s strict abortion law. In a letter first reported by ProPublica dated Nov. 8, Georgia’s Department of Public Health Commissioner said whoever shared the information violated state law and the committee’s confidentiality rules. Pro-abortion advocates worry that the decision could halt investigations into maternal deaths across the state.