Patients who experienced a second-trimester pregnancy loss in a Texas hospital had a higher risk of contracting sepsis after the state's initial abortion ban went into effect in 2021, per a new ProPublica investigation.

Why it matters: Texas has become an epicenter of the country's battle over abortion rights and reproductive health.

• Abortion rights advocates met in Austin over the weekend to strategize how to amplify personal stories of pregnancy complications in post-Roe America.

The big picture: Texas' ban on most abortions is one of the strictest in the country, but the state hasn't studied the ban's impact on pregnant women experiencing complications, ProPublica reports.

Zoom in: Some women have shared their experiences in lawsuits, news stories and podcasts — including 22 plaintiffs who sued Texas over the ban.

• A North Texas woman said she bled for a week because her hospital declined to give her a D&C after her miscarriage.

What they did: ProPublica reporters analyzed thousands of discharge records from 2017 through 2023 and spoke with dozens of researchers and clinicians about their findings.

• They narrowed the data to hospitalizations that resulted in a pregnancy loss in the second trimester.

What they found: Nearly 3% of hospitalizations during a second-trimester pregnancy loss resulted in sepsis during the nine quarters before the 2021 ban took effect. The rate increased by 55%, to 4.5%, in the nine quarters after the law went into effect.

• The data showed a "dramatic increase" in sepsis after the law took effect among patients whose fetus may have still had a heartbeat when they were admitted to the hospital and lost their pregnancy.

Stunning stat: 120 women died in 2022 and 2023 while hospitalized during their pregnancy or within six weeks postpartum, per the ProPublica analysis. But it's unclear whether their pregnancy or Texas' abortion ban had a role in their death, ProPublica says.

• The figure also doesn't include patients who died in a hospitalization that was separate from the end of their pregnancy.

The other side: The Texas Department of State Health Services told Axios it tracks maternal deaths and severe maternal morbidity, which includes pregnancy complications and sepsis, but the agency's figures haven't been updated since 2022 and use only hospital delivery data.

Maternal morbidity

Having two airports somewhat helps Dallas-Fort Worth residents access the best domestic airfare deals, per the latest Transportation Department data.

The big picture: The average domestic airfare at all U.S. airports was $366 in the third quarter of 2024.

• Airfare from Dallas Love Field was just below the national average and domestic airfare from DFW Airport was slightly costlier.

Between the lines: Lots of factors affect airports' average fares. If an airport has more work travelers buying business- or first-class tickets, for example, that could drive up the average fare.

• Conversely, a heavy presence of budget airlines could reduce the average fare. That's probably what's happening in places like Vegas and Florida, where airfares were cheapest.

Zoom in: Competition between airlines can drive down prices, but Love Field had lower domestic airfare despite being dominated by Southwest Airlines.

• DFW Airport, meanwhile, is home to Fort Worth-based American Airlines but also has plenty of other carriers.

💭 Our thought bubble: Knowing we have two great airports with decent airfares helps us survive the hot Texas summers. We can always get away.

FC Dallas kicked off the new season with a win over the Houston Dynamo.

Why it matters: It was Dallas' first win in Houston since 2016.

The latest: Dallas won 2-1 Saturday after trailing early in the game. Anderson Julio scored the game-winning goal — his first for the team.

• FC Dallas traded for Julio in December from Real Salt Lake.

The intrigue: The average price for regular season Major League Soccer tickets has increased by 60% this year compared to last as the 2026 World Cup approaches.

Go deeper: How to watch the 2025 MLS season.

🕯️ Hundreds attended a vigil for an 11-year-old Gainesville girl whose family said she died by suicide after her classmates threatened to call immigration agents on her parents. (DMN)

🏗️ State lawmakers have introduced a measure to make it easier to turn empty office and commercial space into housing. (Texas Tribune)

💰 U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz didn't violate campaign finance laws when his podcast syndicator contributed nearly $1 million toward his 2024 reelection bid, the Federal Election Commission ruled. (Yahoo)

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