The Texas Medical Board has disciplined three physicians whose patients died after receiving delayed care during pregnancy complications. Here's what happened — and what families need to know about their legal rights.

A recent ProPublica investigation brought renewed attention to two devastating and preventable deaths: Porsha Ngumezi and Nevaeh Crain, two Texas mothers who died during pregnancy complications in 2023. In April 2026, the Texas Medical Board formally sanctioned three doctors connected to those deaths — a rare step that has left grieving families and maternal health advocates asking whether the consequences went far enough.

What Happened?

Porsha Ngumezi was eleven weeks pregnant when she began hemorrhaging during a miscarriage at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital in Texas. According to ProPublica's reporting — confirmed by the Texas Medical Board's own investigation — the treating OB-GYN chose to administer misoprostol rather than perform a dilation and curettage (D&C) procedure. More than a dozen independent medical experts said this was the wrong treatment for a high-risk case. The Board found that the delay in care led directly to her death. Her husband called the resulting discipline — eight hours of continuing medical education — a slap in the face.

Nevaeh Crain was eighteen years old and six months pregnant when she visited two separate Texas emergency rooms showing clear signs of sepsis and pregnancy complications. She was sent home both times. On her third visit, the treating physician required two ultrasounds confirming fetal demise before transferring her to the ICU — a delay tied to documentation requirements under Texas abortion law. By then, it was too late. Two of the doctors who treated her were sanctioned by the Board for substandard care. A third physician's status with the Board has not been publicly disclosed.

What Did the Texas Medical Board Actually Do?

The Texas Medical Board has the authority to suspend or revoke a physician's medical license, and to levy fines. In these cases, however, each of the three doctors was ordered to complete eight hours of continuing medical education within one year. Unfortunately, neither physician had their licenses suspended or revoked.

The attorney representing both families in ongoing medical malpractice lawsuits noted that physician discipline during active litigation is extraordinarily rare — making the Board's actions noteworthy. However, we at the Borah Law Firm believe that eight hours of coursework falls dreadfully short of accountability for families who lost loved ones to what the Board itself described as substandard care that caused death.

The Broader Problem: Delayed Obstetric Care in Texas

These cases are not isolated. ProPublica's broader reporting found that following Texas's abortion ban, rates of sepsis and blood transfusions among miscarrying mothers increased — a sign of dangerous delays in pregnancy care happening across the state. Physicians facing potential criminal liability under Texas law have in some cases waited to intervene until fetal demise could be documented, even when a patient's life was at risk. In some cases, physician might have even been engaged in what is referred to as “malicious compliance” in an attempt to make a political statement about the new abortion law.  Hopefully, the discovery process in a lawsuit would be able to uncover whether this is true and, if true, would result in punitive damages against that provider.

Medical board sanctions are one of the few mechanisms that can push back against this pattern — but advocates say boards need to act more visibly and more forcefully to send a clear message to hospitals and providers about the standard of care owed to pregnant mothers.

Your Legal Rights After Medical Negligence During Pregnancy

When a hospital or physician fails to meet the standard of care during a pregnancy, miscarriage, or obstetric emergency — and that failure causes serious injury or death — families have the right to pursue a Texas medical malpractice claim. A successful lawsuit can recover compensation for medical expenses, lost income, future care costs, and the profound personal losses that no amount of money can fully address. It can also uncover the truth about what happened and create accountability that professional discipline alone cannot always provide.

At the Borah Law Firm, we represent patients and families across Texas in medical malpractice cases — and nothing else. If you believe a loved one received substandard obstetric care, we can help you understand whether a case exists and what your options are.

Contact us today for a confidential case review.

The Borah Law Firm represents patients and families across Texas in medical malpractice cases. We only handle these cases — nothing else.