Texas clinics offer free abortions to women caught up in Hurricane Harvey

'There are countless ways a natural disaster can make it difficult to find a health centre that offers abortions or make it impossible to pay for one. That’s why we're here to help.'

An abortion rights activist holds a placard outside the US Supreme Court last year after Whole Woman's Health helped overturn some of Texas' restrictive abortion laws (AFP / Getty Images / Mandel Ngan)

Dozens of women who were caught up in Hurricane Harvey are being offered free abortions at Texas clinics.

At least 74 women have had or have scheduled procedures at the clinics, which are run by Whole Woman’s Health, in the cities of Austin and San Antonio.

The women’s health organisation is working with the Lilith Fund, a pro-choice group in Texas, and others to create a relief fund for the patients. In addition to paying for the abortion, the fund will also be used to cover the cost of patients’ travel and accommodation.

Whole Woman’s Health has so far raised $15,000 (£11,000) to help fund the free abortions but said the total cost will be closer to $40,000.

The organisation’s chief executive, Amy Hagstrom Miller, said: "Texas doesn't have a safety net, so we have to help people raise money for services. Many of these women are travelling for two days and need support for travel and child care.”

In a blog post for Self, she wrote: “After devastation from a storm like Harvey, everything changes. People often lose their homes, their cars, and their jobs. People may have to evacuate to an area without accessible abortion care. Work schedules are cut, school is cancelled, and people worry about lost pets. Daycares are closed. Local health care clinics are, too.

“There are countless ways a natural disaster can make it difficult to find a health centre that offers abortions or make it impossible to pay for one. That’s why we're here to help.

“Whole Woman’s Health can’t fix everything after storms like Harvey, but we sure can offer our expertise and compassion to ease the financial, logistical, and emotional burden of getting an abortion after a natural disaster.”

Anti-abortion groups opposed the move. “There is always a cost to abortion,” a spokesperson for Texas Right to Life told Dallas News. “Abortions, just like the catastrophic effects of a hurricane, are never free.”

Whole Woman’s Health was involved in a major US Supreme Court case last year that resulted in judges overruling attempts by the state of Texas to restrict access to abortion.

Free abortions for women affected by the hurricane will be offered until the end of September.

The organisation adopted a similar policy after Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita in 2005, and Hurricane Ike in 2008.