This week, Kate Cox got an abortion. She joined more than 9.3 million Americans who got a legal abortion in the past 10 years, of which 8,300 (0.9%) got one after 20 weeks of gestation.
What is so wonderful about your work is that a human voice shines through with the impeccable research. It's not just that I trust the science, I trust the person whose voice is present in each post. With deep appreciation and gratitude.
You've missed a potentially significant risk to significant others and friends of someone seeking abort. Here in Texas those individuals can be sued by an unrelated party for helping. Equally bizarre is the "can't use our roads" for this purpose to travel to adjacent states. Texas didn't start being a third world country for women...but they are racing to catch up
As a labor nurse, I have been at the bedside when these families deliver, and there is nothing about these situations that isn't gut wrenching. I challenge anyone who is making legal decisions for this woman and her family to walk in her shoes and explain how they have the right to insert themselves at this moment. But this is, excuse the word, the easy decision to make - this fetus will not survive. It is beyond cruel and dangerous to make her carry this pregnancy to term or a natural demise. The bigger issue is what Texas is gleefully doing is treating women as vessels and not people with autonomy to make their own decisions in private, without state interference.
I gave a baby up for adoption at birth because I didn't know I was pregnant until it was too expensive to get an abortion. That decision, while I don't regret it and it was right then and still is. Has caused me issues 20+ years later. Especially with family not respecting my wishes. I've also had 2 abortions. Zero regrets and zero long tem issues. I dint wa t kids and never have. I've had an IUD for the past 15 years because I was denied a tubal ligation in my 20s, by a female OB/GYN who told me 'I might change my mind' (I'm 41 and still child-free, never changed my mind, I want kids even less now) and 'what if a future partner wants to kids?' My medical decision was made for me by a man I've still never met. I've been single for 15 years and won't date anyone with kids or who wants them. This goes beyond rights to abortion. Women are still denied autonomy over our bodies and reproductive choices even when abortion is legal. The 6 and 12 week abortion bans in my state are currently in the courts as they violate our State Constitutional rights to privacy.
"The Supreme Court of Florida has ruled in 1989 (In re: TW), and 2017 (Gainesville Woman Care, LCC v. the State of Florida) that Article 1, Section 23 of the Constitution of Florida ("Every natural person has the right to be let alone and free from government intrusion into the person's private life") protects a woman's right to an abortion as a matter of state constitutional law, independent of federal law."
And having a child has an 8% regret rate. Abortion has almost a zero percent regret rate.
Forced pregnancy and forced birth are Crimes Against Humanity according to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, Section 7. Anti-abortion laws are international human rights violations.
Thank you Katelyn. Pro choice men can be doing so much more to help. I periodically attend pro choice vigils at a Planned Parenthood in my community. This is one way to make a difference.
Something slightly over 40 years ago, in the early 80s, a coworker of mine was pregnant with a very wanted child, which would have been her first. She went in for her 6 month check, and was told, with great sorrow, that the fetus had died in utero, but that because this was a Catholic hospital (that being the facility her insurance covered), they couldn't do anything until her life was, inevitably, in danger, as that was the only time they would perform an abortion, even in circumstances such as hers - then they went over the signs of sepsis she could expect to experience, and sent her home, with strict instructions to return as soon as any of those signs appeared, knowing that the fetus within her was already dead, and that when its body began decomposing, it would cause those signs they had so carefully given her.
About a week later, she developed a fever and returned to the hospital, where they told her her symptoms were not yet severe enough, and once again sent her home. The next day her fever spiked over 102F, and she returned, to be admitted so the hospital could begin treatment. Unfortunately, her symptoms appeared too late in the process, well after the development of a severe uterine infection, and to save her life, the hospital was forced to perform a complete hysterectomy. She was 26 years old.
This is reality faced by far too many women today, women who have the misfortune to experience a problem pregnancy in states where abortion is illegal or severely restricted. This the reality that Ms. Cox was fleeing when she left Texas for an abortion in another state, knowing that, under Texas law, she, or anyone helping her travel, could be stopped, fined, possibly jailed simply for helping her obtain needed medical care. This is reality for far too many women.
Vote out any legislator who supports abortion restrictions - especially those that have no exceptions for cases such as my former coworker, or for Ms. Cox and those like her. These "servants of the people" need to be reminded who they work for - and it's not their campaign contributors, nor just a small, very vocal portion of their constituency - it is all of us.
Those most at risk for lack of access to all healthcare are also least likely to access travel for any type of care. Donating to a cause that aids travel, especially at the local level is the best we can do day to day, while we wait to VOTE.
Thank you for this post. As someone who had a late termination for fetal anamolies in a much wanted pregnancy, I’m extra heartbroken and angry people must endure this extra trauma on top of the sadness and heartbreak.
Thank you so much for this information. I have been wanting to find a way to support the women who must travel to get an abortion. The organizations you listed are rated very high. I donated right away, and will continue to do so until better healthcare alternatives are available to women.
In my experience, in two surgical centers dedicated to women's health care, anesthesia was provided by a CRNA or MD for any abortion over 12 weeks. I have been retired for awhile, and can't speak to the present day.
What is so wonderful about your work is that a human voice shines through with the impeccable research. It's not just that I trust the science, I trust the person whose voice is present in each post. With deep appreciation and gratitude.
You've missed a potentially significant risk to significant others and friends of someone seeking abort. Here in Texas those individuals can be sued by an unrelated party for helping. Equally bizarre is the "can't use our roads" for this purpose to travel to adjacent states. Texas didn't start being a third world country for women...but they are racing to catch up
As a labor nurse, I have been at the bedside when these families deliver, and there is nothing about these situations that isn't gut wrenching. I challenge anyone who is making legal decisions for this woman and her family to walk in her shoes and explain how they have the right to insert themselves at this moment. But this is, excuse the word, the easy decision to make - this fetus will not survive. It is beyond cruel and dangerous to make her carry this pregnancy to term or a natural demise. The bigger issue is what Texas is gleefully doing is treating women as vessels and not people with autonomy to make their own decisions in private, without state interference.
I gave a baby up for adoption at birth because I didn't know I was pregnant until it was too expensive to get an abortion. That decision, while I don't regret it and it was right then and still is. Has caused me issues 20+ years later. Especially with family not respecting my wishes. I've also had 2 abortions. Zero regrets and zero long tem issues. I dint wa t kids and never have. I've had an IUD for the past 15 years because I was denied a tubal ligation in my 20s, by a female OB/GYN who told me 'I might change my mind' (I'm 41 and still child-free, never changed my mind, I want kids even less now) and 'what if a future partner wants to kids?' My medical decision was made for me by a man I've still never met. I've been single for 15 years and won't date anyone with kids or who wants them. This goes beyond rights to abortion. Women are still denied autonomy over our bodies and reproductive choices even when abortion is legal. The 6 and 12 week abortion bans in my state are currently in the courts as they violate our State Constitutional rights to privacy.
"The Supreme Court of Florida has ruled in 1989 (In re: TW), and 2017 (Gainesville Woman Care, LCC v. the State of Florida) that Article 1, Section 23 of the Constitution of Florida ("Every natural person has the right to be let alone and free from government intrusion into the person's private life") protects a woman's right to an abortion as a matter of state constitutional law, independent of federal law."
And having a child has an 8% regret rate. Abortion has almost a zero percent regret rate.
Forced pregnancy and forced birth are Crimes Against Humanity according to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, Section 7. Anti-abortion laws are international human rights violations.
Thank you Katelyn. Pro choice men can be doing so much more to help. I periodically attend pro choice vigils at a Planned Parenthood in my community. This is one way to make a difference.
Something slightly over 40 years ago, in the early 80s, a coworker of mine was pregnant with a very wanted child, which would have been her first. She went in for her 6 month check, and was told, with great sorrow, that the fetus had died in utero, but that because this was a Catholic hospital (that being the facility her insurance covered), they couldn't do anything until her life was, inevitably, in danger, as that was the only time they would perform an abortion, even in circumstances such as hers - then they went over the signs of sepsis she could expect to experience, and sent her home, with strict instructions to return as soon as any of those signs appeared, knowing that the fetus within her was already dead, and that when its body began decomposing, it would cause those signs they had so carefully given her.
About a week later, she developed a fever and returned to the hospital, where they told her her symptoms were not yet severe enough, and once again sent her home. The next day her fever spiked over 102F, and she returned, to be admitted so the hospital could begin treatment. Unfortunately, her symptoms appeared too late in the process, well after the development of a severe uterine infection, and to save her life, the hospital was forced to perform a complete hysterectomy. She was 26 years old.
This is reality faced by far too many women today, women who have the misfortune to experience a problem pregnancy in states where abortion is illegal or severely restricted. This the reality that Ms. Cox was fleeing when she left Texas for an abortion in another state, knowing that, under Texas law, she, or anyone helping her travel, could be stopped, fined, possibly jailed simply for helping her obtain needed medical care. This is reality for far too many women.
Vote out any legislator who supports abortion restrictions - especially those that have no exceptions for cases such as my former coworker, or for Ms. Cox and those like her. These "servants of the people" need to be reminded who they work for - and it's not their campaign contributors, nor just a small, very vocal portion of their constituency - it is all of us.
This is wonderful information. Thank you for gathering this information.
Those most at risk for lack of access to all healthcare are also least likely to access travel for any type of care. Donating to a cause that aids travel, especially at the local level is the best we can do day to day, while we wait to VOTE.
Thank you for this post. As someone who had a late termination for fetal anamolies in a much wanted pregnancy, I’m extra heartbroken and angry people must endure this extra trauma on top of the sadness and heartbreak.
Thank you Katelyn.....
Thank you so much for this information. I have been wanting to find a way to support the women who must travel to get an abortion. The organizations you listed are rated very high. I donated right away, and will continue to do so until better healthcare alternatives are available to women.
Thank you. All of your articles are amazing and this one inspired gratitude for the breadth of health coverage you provide.
Thank you for this information and for all you do.
An accurate discussion of the reality of the woman/mother. Is the innocent and helpless preborn unworthy of any consideration or humanity?
In my experience, in two surgical centers dedicated to women's health care, anesthesia was provided by a CRNA or MD for any abortion over 12 weeks. I have been retired for awhile, and can't speak to the present day.
Thank you. And I know how much that had to hurt to write.