abortion stories

Our Abortion Stories

Our Abortion Stories: Two Years of Texas’ S.B. 8

On this grim two-year anniversary, we lift up the stories of Texas women and their families who are fighting for the right to abortion care.
9/1/2023
by VAL DIEZ CANSECO and ROXY SZAL

Last summer, the Supreme Court overturned the longstanding precedents of Roe v. Wade, representing the largest blow to women’s constitutional rights in history. In Texas, this has been part of women’s reality for years.

Two years ago, Texas’ S.B. 8 became law: the six-week ban with a “bounty hunter” provision. At the time S.B. 8 took effect, it was considered the most restrictive abortion ban to ever take effect in the U.S. post-Roe.

Continued: https://msmagazine.com/2023/09/01/texas-abortion-stories-women-risk/

Voices of three Wisconsin women who have had an abortion

A trio of Wisconsinites share their abortion stories, describe why they chose to end a pregnancy, and explain why they are speaking up at a time when the practice is once again illegal in the state.

By ZAC SCHULTZ, STEVEN POTTER | Here & Now
August 8, 2023
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

Over three weeks, "Here & Now" is examining the new debate surrounding abortion, presenting the viewpoints of those who have utilized abortion, those who want to keep it illegal, and those in the medical community advocating for their patients.

Tosha Kowalski: I was 26. I had just gotten out of a relationship, a long relationship with somebody for four years. And that was actually the father.
Sara: I was a full-time student at UW-Eau Claire going for political science, really loving school. I was a single mom, I had a beautiful, amazing little son, working two jobs.

Continued: https://pbswisconsin.org/news-item/voices-of-three-wisconsin-women-who-have-had-an-abortion/

08.08.2023

Interviews/Podcasts

Videos/Images

Our Abortion Stories: ‘I Want Greg Abbott to Look Me in the Eye and Tell Me I Deserve What Happened’

6/29/2023
by VAL DIEZ CANSECO

“It had been a normal day.”
When Terry went to her 15-week ultrasound appointment, she found out her fetus had not developed at all above the neck—there was no head. It was a one-in-a-million abnormality, the specialist told them.

“It was at that point I began to go numb. I kind of shut down. My specialist told me, ‘There’s only one thing that we can do to assure that you walk out of this healthy.’ He recommended that I terminate the pregnancy.”

Continued: https://msmagazine.com/2023/06/29/abortion-stories-roe-v-wade-5/

29.06.2023

Commentary

Greg Abbott

near-total abortion ban

Continued: https://www.elle.com/culture/career-politics/a43980193/medication-abortion-experience-capitol-hill-congressional-staffer/

USA – I Never Planned to Tell My Abortion Story—Especially on Capitol Hill

As a congressional staffer, I’m painfully aware of the stigma that exists around abortion.

Sarah Drory
MAY 25, 2023

In December, I went to the doctor’s office thinking I had the flu. It was peak season, and I had all the usual symptoms: vomiting, dizziness, and a bad headache. It turned out I was nine weeks pregnant.

When I got the results, I knew immediately that I wanted an abortion—specifically, a medication abortion. I’ve struggled with anxiety my entire life, including in medical settings, and too often, routine doctors’ visits have resulted in panic attacks or fainting. Even with anxiety medication—and despite knowing that in-clinic abortion procedures are common and safe—it would have been nearly impossible for me to go alone to get one. In order to have someone come with me to a clinic for the procedure, I would have had to tell my parents or friends, something I wasn’t comfortable doing yet. Instead, I was grateful to have the option to take the abortion pills, mifepristone and misoprostol, at home—a way to make this painful experience more bearable. I Never Planned to Tell My Abortion Story—Especially on Capitol Hill As a congressional staffer, I’m painfully aware of the stigma that exists around abortion.

25.05.2023

self-managed abortion

USA – Our Abortion Stories: Share Your Story—’It Was With the Purest Love and Compassion We Decided.’ ‘I Was Eliminating a Cycle of Poverty.’

5/24/2023
by PHOEBE KOLBERT

Last summer, the Supreme Court overturned the longstanding precedents of Roe v. Wade, representing the largest blow to women’s constitutional rights in history. A series from Ms., Our Abortion Stories, chronicles readers’ experiences of abortion pre- and post-Roe. Abortions are sought by a wide range of people, for many different reasons. There is no single story. Telling stories of then and now shows how critical abortion has been and continues to be for women and girls.

The fall of Roe will strain abortion access nationwide. We cannot, we must not, lose the right to safe and accessible abortion or access to birth control.

Continued: https://msmagazine.com/2023/05/24/abortion-stories-roe-v-wade-4/

24.05.2023

Continued: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/05/17/1176514276/mifepristone-abortion-miscarriage-pill

USA – Beyond the ‘abortion pill’: Real-life experiences of individuals taking mifepristone

May 17, 2023
By Becky Sullivan

For a while, it was known as RU-486. It's called Mifeprex or mifepristone – but many know it as "the abortion pill." It is one of two drugs – along with misoprostol – that are used in more than half of abortions in the U.S. now. And it is the subject of a federal court case that could make it illegal.

As attorneys gather in New Orleans this week at the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals to argue whether this medication should be removed from the market all over the country, NPR asked people to share their experiences with using mifepristone. More than 150 people responded.

17.05.2023

USA – “It Was Really Empowering”—5 Women Reflect on Their Medication Abortion Experience

We can’t stress this enough: You can have a safe abortion at home.

Christen A. Johnson
MAY 10, 2023

Let’s talk about mifepristone, aka the hard-to-pronounce drug that when used in combination with other hard-to-pronounce drug misoprostol is actually extremely safe and effective at ending unwanted pregnancies in the privacy of your own home. You’ve probably seen mifepristone in the news recently. Why, you ask? Because certain members of the right wing are completely fixated on ruthlessly attacking reproductive rights and eliminating body autonomy in our country. Ah, I love it here.

Continued: https://www.cosmopolitan.com/lifestyle/a43193640/mail-order-abortion-pills/

“Some Anti-Abortion People Will Say Our Situation Was Different. It’s Not.”

Three stories of people navigating a new world of restrictions post-Roe

Katie Herchenroeder
April 13, 2023

One woman had already decorated the nursery. Another had picked out a name, something with family history. A third woman was sifting through her oldest child’s clothes to see what might fit the next addition to the family. Their hopes had risen over the months; plans were taking form. Then the appointment happened.

For those who must terminate their pregnancy for medical reasons, or undergo a TFMR, as the procedure is known, the need typically becomes apparent during an appointment that takes place later in the second trimester, after week 16 or 17, an important phase for fetal development—and a period that has become highly politicized and regulated in post-Dobbs America.

Continued: https://newrepublic.com/article/171115/abortion-as-told-to-roe-dobbs

13.04.2023

Commentary

fatal fetal abnormalities

severe fetal abnormalities

TFMR