My abortion story

[Anonymous]

June 24, the day the Supreme Court ruled on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health,was my 40th birthday. I was able to celebrate because abortion saved my life.

In September 2020, I had my 20 week anatomy scan for a pregnancy we very much wanted. That the fetus’s kidneys and lungs were not developing, there was fluid around the heart, I had no amniotic fluid, and my placenta was severely degraded. All my doctors agreed, the only choice was to terminate my pregnancy.

Thankfully, in MD and DC, abortion up to 24 weeks was legal. Even so, I had to jump through many stressful, challenging hoops: switching doctors to a practice who would perform the procedure; navigating Hyde Amendment restrictions on my Federal employee insurance; and being alone at appointments because of Covid restrictions.

I am thankful every day that I was able to get the care I needed at a hospital with an experienced and compassionate medical team. The the doctors could not stop me from bleeding after the procedure. I went into hypovolemic shock, lost 3x the amount of blood in my body, and formed blood clots in my hand and foot. I woke up with a breathing tube in the ICU, all alone and in excruciating pain. But I was alive. I was in the ICU for 8 days.

The decision in Dobbs means that pregnant woman like me will die. Even in states that provide exception for “life of the mother,” when abortion is so severely restricted, the care is not actually available. Who gets to decide how likely it is that I’m going to die before I get the medical care I need? How will doctors be able to provide the care we need to save our lives?

All abortion is, in some way, to save the life of the mother. I share my story as one example of the repercussions of denying reproductive health care to us.

[Anonymous]

I’m so sorry for all you went through and mad as hell that our country has slipped back into the dark ages.

[Anonymous]

These kind of stories are going to fill the headlines over the coming years. The conservatives finally got what they wanted, but it's not going to be the political gift they imagined.

[Anonymous]

OP, I delievered twins at 20 weeks and obviously they lived only a few hours, so I am truly sympathetic to your loss. I also endured non-stop and dangerous bleeding after a different delivery. So I understand a little bit what you went through. So please understand, I don't mean to be callous or dismissive. But, I am trying to understand how the abortion saved your life. It kind of sounds like the abortion endangered your life. What would have happened had the pregnancy been left to end on its own? Yes, it would have been difficult to know you were carrying a baby that would not survive, but it may very well have been a safer decision. Sometimes in life we suffer through very sad things. I have had my share. But I don't think it's accurate to say that abortion saved your life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I delievered twins at 20 weeks and obviously they lived only a few hours, so I am truly sympathetic to your loss. I also endured non-stop and dangerous bleeding after a different delivery. So I understand a little bit what you went through. So please understand, I don't mean to be callous or dismissive. But, I am trying to understand how the abortion saved your life. It kind of sounds like the abortion endangered your life. What would have happened had the pregnancy been left to end on its own? Yes, it would have been difficult to know you were carrying a baby that would not survive, but it may very well have been a safer decision. Sometimes in life we suffer through very sad things. I have had my share. But I don't think it's accurate to say that abortion saved your life.

And what would have happened if the baby came to term and lived in a life of misery? Who will take care of this child? The Republicans and their support?

I have a child with pre-existing condition and ours is nowhere as severe in health, and it is one of the most difficult life challenges for us. It affects the child, the parents, and the siblings for a lifetime.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I delievered twins at 20 weeks and obviously they lived only a few hours, so I am truly sympathetic to your loss. I also endured non-stop and dangerous bleeding after a different delivery. So I understand a little bit what you went through. So please understand, I don't mean to be callous or dismissive. But, I am trying to understand how the abortion saved your life. It kind of sounds like the abortion endangered your life. What would have happened had the pregnancy been left to end on its own? Yes, it would have been difficult to know you were carrying a baby that would not survive, but it may very well have been a safer decision. Sometimes in life we suffer through very sad things. I have had my share. But I don't think it's accurate to say that abortion saved your life.

And this here is why a “life of the mother” exception is not enough. People will squabble about what is actually going to kill the pregnant person and what is just going to hurt her. At best there will obviously be a lot of harm, which is understood when there is no harm to the mother exception. But there will also be more material death.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I delievered twins at 20 weeks and obviously they lived only a few hours, so I am truly sympathetic to your loss. I also endured non-stop and dangerous bleeding after a different delivery. So I understand a little bit what you went through. So please understand, I don't mean to be callous or dismissive. But, I am trying to understand how the abortion saved your life. It kind of sounds like the abortion endangered your life. What would have happened had the pregnancy been left to end on its own? Yes, it would have been difficult to know you were carrying a baby that would not survive, but it may very well have been a safer decision. Sometimes in life we suffer through very sad things. I have had my share. But I don't think it's accurate to say that abortion saved your life.

And this here is why a “life of the mother” exception is not enough. People will squabble about what is actually going to kill the pregnant person and what is just going to hurt her. At best there will obviously be a lot of harm, which is understood when there is no harm to the mother exception. But there will also be more material death.

But the above is not a political or even moral question, but truly one about what is best for the mother. Abortion at 20 weeks or later, as you can see from OP's post, is not a no-brainer. It can be dangerous and not in the best of interest of the mother. It's like pro-abortionists cannot see any nuane. I am pro-choice, so this is not political, but honestly. How can you read OP's story and not see that the abortion did not save her life. She her herself describes how it almost killed her.

[Anonymous]

Thank you OP.

My abortion story is this:

I was 37. Married with two kids, age 11 and 8, using birth control. Got pregnant, decided I didn’t want to be pregnant, terminated the pregnancy.

My family is perfect as-is, and another one was not right for us. And I had kids young so that my middle aged years wouldn’t be spent caring for littles.

I personally do not believe a fetus (or an embryo) is a human being. I have a human right to make those choices for my life.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for sharing your story, OP. And I'm sorry for your loss.


But here's my abortion story: I've never needed one. And it doesn't matter if you wanted the baby or if you were raped or if it saved your life or whatever. It doesn't matter if your BC failed or if you're a "slut" or whatever, abortion is healthcare and it's a human right for women to have control over if or when they have a baby.

Let's get to work...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I delievered twins at 20 weeks and obviously they lived only a few hours, so I am truly sympathetic to your loss. I also endured non-stop and dangerous bleeding after a different delivery. So I understand a little bit what you went through. So please understand, I don't mean to be callous or dismissive. But, I am trying to understand how the abortion saved your life. It kind of sounds like the abortion endangered your life. What would have happened had the pregnancy been left to end on its own? Yes, it would have been difficult to know you were carrying a baby that would not survive, but it may very well have been a safer decision. Sometimes in life we suffer through very sad things. I have had my share. But I don't think it's accurate to say that abortion saved your life.

And this here is why a “life of the mother” exception is not enough. People will squabble about what is actually going to kill the pregnant person and what is just going to hurt her. At best there will obviously be a lot of harm, which is understood when there is no harm to the mother exception. But there will also be more material death.

But the above is not a political or even moral question, but truly one about what is best for the mother. Abortion at 20 weeks or later, as you can see from OP's post, is not a no-brainer. It can be dangerous and not in the best of interest of the mother. It's like pro-abortionists cannot see any nuane. I am pro-choice, so this is not political, but honestly. How can you read OP's story and not see that the abortion did not save her life. She her herself describes how it almost killed her.

Are you seriously taking the medical position that it was her abortion and not the nonviable pregnancy that killed her? Is Ronna McDaniel posting on this board?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I delievered twins at 20 weeks and obviously they lived only a few hours, so I am truly sympathetic to your loss. I also endured non-stop and dangerous bleeding after a different delivery. So I understand a little bit what you went through. So please understand, I don't mean to be callous or dismissive. But, I am trying to understand how the abortion saved your life. It kind of sounds like the abortion endangered your life. What would have happened had the pregnancy been left to end on its own? Yes, it would have been difficult to know you were carrying a baby that would not survive, but it may very well have been a safer decision. Sometimes in life we suffer through very sad things. I have had my share. But I don't think it's accurate to say that abortion saved your life.

I mean I’m not a doctor but all my doctors told me I would be at higher risk of placental abruption if I waited. So maybe it hastened the inevitable but at least I was already in the OR when it happened.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I delievered twins at 20 weeks and obviously they lived only a few hours, so I am truly sympathetic to your loss. I also endured non-stop and dangerous bleeding after a different delivery. So I understand a little bit what you went through. So please understand, I don't mean to be callous or dismissive. But, I am trying to understand how the abortion saved your life. It kind of sounds like the abortion endangered your life. What would have happened had the pregnancy been left to end on its own? Yes, it would have been difficult to know you were carrying a baby that would not survive, but it may very well have been a safer decision. Sometimes in life we suffer through very sad things. I have had my share. But I don't think it's accurate to say that abortion saved your life.

And this here is why a “life of the mother” exception is not enough. People will squabble about what is actually going to kill the pregnant person and what is just going to hurt her. At best there will obviously be a lot of harm, which is understood when there is no harm to the mother exception. But there will also be more material death.

But the above is not a political or even moral question, but truly one about what is best for the mother. Abortion at 20 weeks or later, as you can see from OP's post, is not a no-brainer. It can be dangerous and not in the best of interest of the mother. It's like pro-abortionists cannot see any nuane. I am pro-choice, so this is not political, but honestly. How can you read OP's story and not see that the abortion did not save her life. She her herself describes how it almost killed her.

If I would have waited a few more weeks for the heart to stop, I would have had the exact same procedure. The doctors did not think it was safe to wait. Also, this was a decision I made with my experienced doctors and should not be made by judges, politicians, or internet trolls. Even in states with life of the mother exemptions the care will not be available because no doctors want to go to jail for it. That’s the point

[Anonymous]

I've known two women to have post 20 week abortions. Both were wanted pregnancies, both found serious defects on their 20 week scans, both were advised they were at risk for sepsis if they didn't abort.

I also once had a friend who got an abortion because her abusive ex boyfriend messed with her birth control. She found out she was pregnant after she got away. Having his baby would have tied her and a baby to a controlling and violent man for 18 years (and yes it is very hard to get someone's parental rights permanently terminated, despite him putting her in the hospital).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I delievered twins at 20 weeks and obviously they lived only a few hours, so I am truly sympathetic to your loss. I also endured non-stop and dangerous bleeding after a different delivery. So I understand a little bit what you went through. So please understand, I don't mean to be callous or dismissive. But, I am trying to understand how the abortion saved your life. It kind of sounds like the abortion endangered your life. What would have happened had the pregnancy been left to end on its own? Yes, it would have been difficult to know you were carrying a baby that would not survive, but it may very well have been a safer decision. Sometimes in life we suffer through very sad things. I have had my share. But I don't think it's accurate to say that abortion saved your life.

And this here is why a “life of the mother” exception is not enough. People will squabble about what is actually going to kill the pregnant person and what is just going to hurt her. At best there will obviously be a lot of harm, which is understood when there is no harm to the mother exception. But there will also be more material death.

But the above is not a political or even moral question, but truly one about what is best for the mother. Abortion at 20 weeks or later, as you can see from OP's post, is not a no-brainer. It can be dangerous and not in the best of interest of the mother. It's like pro-abortionists cannot see any nuane. I am pro-choice, so this is not political, but honestly. How can you read OP's story and not see that the abortion did not save her life. She her herself describes how it almost killed her.

Oh you’re right. I didn’t read carefully. Now I wonder why she would use this example. Honestly the idea that it’s a false flag thing.

I’m the OP. I suppose I could have been clear. The pregnancy would have killed me but for the abortion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I delievered twins at 20 weeks and obviously they lived only a few hours, so I am truly sympathetic to your loss. I also endured non-stop and dangerous bleeding after a different delivery. So I understand a little bit what you went through. So please understand, I don't mean to be callous or dismissive. But, I am trying to understand how the abortion saved your life. It kind of sounds like the abortion endangered your life. What would have happened had the pregnancy been left to end on its own? Yes, it would have been difficult to know you were carrying a baby that would not survive, but it may very well have been a safer decision. Sometimes in life we suffer through very sad things. I have had my share. But I don't think it's accurate to say that abortion saved your life.

And this here is why a “life of the mother” exception is not enough. People will squabble about what is actually going to kill the pregnant person and what is just going to hurt her. At best there will obviously be a lot of harm, which is understood when there is no harm to the mother exception. But there will also be more material death.

But the above is not a political or even moral question, but truly one about what is best for the mother. Abortion at 20 weeks or later, as you can see from OP's post, is not a no-brainer. It can be dangerous and not in the best of interest of the mother. It's like pro-abortionists cannot see any nuane. I am pro-choice, so this is not political, but honestly. How can you read OP's story and not see that the abortion did not save her life. She her herself describes how it almost killed her.

Oh you’re right. I didn’t read carefully. Now I wonder why she would use this example. Honestly the idea that it’s a false flag thing.

I’m the OP. I suppose I could have been clear. The pregnancy would have killed me but for the abortion.

Gotcha. Thanks.