In a year marked by shifting public sentiment and evolving state policy, Texas is at the heart of a national conversation about abortion, infant loss, and the support systems available to grieving families. This month, a new state law—House Bill 37, now officially known as "Everly’s Law"—comes into effect, requiring Texas hospitals that offer maternity care to be better equipped for the heartbreak of stillbirths and infant loss. The legislation mandates bereavement counseling and the provision of cooling bassinets, aiming to give families more time and support as they navigate unimaginable grief.
The story behind Everly’s Law is as personal as it is political. Katie and Tyler Talman of North Dallas lost their daughter, Everly, to Turner Syndrome—a chromosomal disorder that almost always results in miscarriage. Katie, who had always dreamed of motherhood, described the experience as both devastating and transformative. "We were so lucky to get pregnant with twins," she recalled in an interview highlighted by CBS News Texas. But after losing one twin at nine weeks, the remaining pregnancy was shadowed by uncertainty and sorrow. At her 12-week appointment, Katie received the diagnosis that would shape the rest of her journey: "The remaining twin was diagnosed with Turner Syndrome, which occurs when a baby is missing, or partially missing X chromosome. Miscarriage in those cases is nearly certain."
Despite the bleak prognosis, the Talmans chose to continue the pregnancy. "I saw hope in that 1%. I know it was really naïve," Katie admitted. The months that followed were emotionally fraught. Public outings became challenging, and the simple joy of preparing for a new baby was replaced by anxiety and sadness. Yet, Katie found solace in small rituals—like using a Doppler device to listen to Everly’s heartbeat each night. The moment she realized her daughter was gone is etched in her memory: "The next morning, when we woke up, for some reason, something felt different to me." When the Doppler was silent, the reality set in.
Determined to meet her daughter, Katie chose to be induced. The hospital experience, however, was bittersweet. While she was able to hold and love Everly, Katie felt the staff lacked the training to truly support grieving parents. "A nurse came in less than 24 hours after delivery with discharge papers, and I wish I had known then that I could have stayed much longer," she said. The moment Everly’s bassinet was wheeled away remains a source of pain: "It's really hard. It's really hard that I didn't get up and run after her."
One aspect that helped the Talman family—and many others—was access to a cooling bassinet, such as a Cuddle Cot or Caring Cradle. These devices use cooling technology to preserve the stillborn baby’s body, allowing families more time to say goodbye. On social media, parents have shared how these bassinets made a difference. Bridgett Rogers recalled, "We were able to spend three days with Skylar at the hospital. We got to see her whenever we wanted to, spend as much time with her during those days, and that was all because my hospital had a Cuddle Cot." Emily Johnson echoed this sentiment, describing how the Caring Cradle allowed her family a rare moment of togetherness: "Because of the Caring Cradle, we had a moment in time when our family was whole."
But not all Texas hospitals offered such resources. Dr. Terri Major-Kincaide, director of Pediatric Palliative Care Medicine at UTHealth Houston, testified that as of 2025, only about half of the state’s hospitals had cooling bassinets. She shared a haunting memory of a family improvising with Ziploc bags filled with ice cubes to extend their time with their baby. "That was upsetting that they felt like they had to do that," Dr. Major-Kincaide said.
The legislative momentum for House Bill 37 began when Katie Talman’s story reached her neighbor, Mihaela Plesa, who was running for state Representative. With her own background in infertility and IVF, Plesa was moved to action. She quickly drafted and filed the bill, aiming to address the rising tide of infant loss in Texas. According to Plesa, "A lot of people don't know that Texas has seen an uptick in infant loss and stillbirth." The bill requires hospitals with a maternal care designation to have a cooling bassinet and to train staff on how to care for grieving families. It passed with broad bipartisan support, a rare moment of unity in a state sharply divided on reproductive issues.
The need for such legislation became more urgent following Texas’s strict abortion ban. Research published in JAMA Pediatrics found that in 2022, the state experienced a nearly 13% increase in infant deaths, an 8% rise in the infant death rate, and a staggering 23% increase in babies dying from birth defects. Prior to the ban, infant death rates had been on the decline—dropping by almost 3% in 2020 and nearly another percentage point in 2021. The sudden reversal in 2022, as reported by Johns Hopkins University researchers, has fueled debate over the broader impacts of restrictive abortion laws.
Meanwhile, public opinion on abortion in Texas and nationwide continues to evolve. Gallup’s annual survey, released in June 2025, revealed that 43% of respondents now identify as Pro-Life—a two-point increase from the previous year. A separate July poll of 1,400 adults found a seven-point increase in the share of Americans who believe abortion should be illegal in all or most cases. Support for legal abortion declined across all scenarios, with a notable five-point drop in those supporting abortion "if the woman does not want to be pregnant for any reason."
For advocates in the Pro-Life movement, these statistics offer encouragement but also highlight the work ahead. As reported by LifeNews, the movement’s mission "extends beyond ending abortion; it’s about fostering a culture of Life in America and in the world—a world where preborn children are protected, and every woman has the resources and support she needs to choose Life." The article emphasizes the need for continued education, compassion, and prayer to change hearts and minds, suggesting that legal changes are only part of a broader cultural shift.
Yet, the realities faced by families like the Talmans underscore the complexity of these issues. While Texas lawmakers have taken steps to support grieving parents, the state’s abortion ban has coincided with a rise in infant deaths—especially from birth defects that might have been detected earlier in pregnancy. Lawmakers, healthcare professionals, and families are left to grapple with the consequences, both intended and unintended, of these policies.
Today, Katie Talman is the mother of two boys—Everly’s younger brothers. Her home is filled with images of butterflies, symbols of her daughter and the enduring bond they share. The passage of Everly’s Law stands as a testament to her family’s loss, resilience, and determination to create change for others facing similar heartbreak.
As Texas moves forward, the hope is that better-equipped hospitals and more compassionate care will offer solace to families in their darkest hours, even as the broader debates over reproductive rights and infant loss continue to shape the state—and the nation.
