Ciji Graham Died Unable to Get Heart Care or an Abortion in North Carolina
ProPublica • • health
Key Points:
- Ciji Graham, a 34-year-old police officer with atrial fibrillation, was denied timely cardioversion treatment after discovering she was pregnant, despite expert consensus that the procedure is safe during pregnancy.
- Due to abortion restrictions in North Carolina and surrounding states, Graham faced significant barriers to ending her pregnancy, with limited access to hospital-based abortion care and long waiting times at clinics.
- Multiple cardiologists failed to provide appropriate urgent care, including not performing necessary tests or admitting her to the hospital, which experts say contributed to worsening her condition and increased health risks.
- Graham died from cardiac arrhythmia related to atrial fibrillation in the context of recent pregnancy, a death deemed preventable by specialists who cited failures in medical management and systemic
