The Texas Medical Board has disciplined three doctors after determining that failures to meet the standard of care contributed to the deaths of two pregnant women and a preborn baby.
In separate cases, the board found that Dr. Ali Mohamed Osman and Dr. William Noel Hawkins provided substandard treatment to 18-year-old Nevaeh Crain, who was six months pregnant when she died of sepsis along with her preborn child. Dr. Andrew Ryan Davis was disciplined in the case of 35-year-old Porsha Ngumezi, who was 11 weeks pregnant and experiencing a miscarriage when she died of hemorrhage.
The board disciplined Hawkins and Davis in October 2025 and Osman in March 2026. Each doctor was ordered to complete continuing medical education courses on relevant topics including risk management and managing complications of pregnancy.
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In Crain’s case, the board determined that Osman, who first saw her in the emergency room, violated hospital policy and failed to follow protocols for pregnant patients. According to the board’s Agreed Order: “Respondent violated hospital policy by not sending the patient to labor and delivery for fetal heart monitoring after the patient was discharged from the emergency department.”
It added: “Respondent noted a normal physical exam in the medical record but did not record the presence of a pregnant uterus nor the size of the baby on the abdominal exam.”
“Respondent did not elicit fetal heart tones or perform an ultrasound of the fetus while the patient was in the emergency department.”
“After being discharged by Respondent, the patient visited the emergency department two more times and was observed in a labor and delivery unit. Patient and fetus ultimately died due to complications of pregnancy and delay of adequate care.”
When Crain returned hours later to a second hospital with a fever of 102.8 degrees, an abnormally high pulse and signs of sepsis, Hawkins also discharged her, the board found.
The order stated: “Respondent did not recognize the patient’s immediate need for hospitalization and further evaluation.”
“Respondent inappropriately discharged the patient even though she continued to have pain and a 103 degree fever despite the administration of medications.”
“When the patient was discharged the infant had fetal tachycardia.”
“Respondent did not acknowledge the patient’s positive screening for SIRS/Sepsis.”
“Patient visited the emergency department one more time after being discharged by Respondent and patient and fetus ultimately passed away due to complications of pregnancy and delay of adequate care.”
In Ngumezi’s case, an ultrasound confirmed a blighted ovum, a common form of miscarriage. After several hours in the hospital and blood transfusions, Davis prescribed misoprostol at the patient’s preference rather than proceeding immediately to a surgical D&C.
The board found the delay in care led to her death. Its order stated: “Respondent failed to quantify the volume of blood loss the patient had sustained since presenting to the hospital.”
“Respondent admitted patient to a med-surg unit and did not take the patient immediately to the operating room for evacuation of her uterus.”
“Respondent chose to monitor the patient’s condition rather than proceed with an emergent evacuation of her uterus.”
“Patient ultimately expired, however an emergent D&C may not have had any effect on the patient’s ultimate outcome.”
The board actions have drawn attention amid ongoing debates over Texas’ pro-life laws. Some outlets have claimed the state’s restrictions caused the doctors to delay care out of fear of violating the law.
However, the medical board orders contain no indication that the physicians’ failures stemmed from the state’s protections for preborn life via the abortion ban.
Hawkins had previously been disciplined by the board in 2015 — years before the Heartbeat Act — for failing to meet the standard of care in other patient cases.
Texas law permits physicians to provide life-saving care to the mother when necessary. The board’s findings focused solely on the doctors’ documented lapses in recognizing and treating the patients’ conditions.
