Edit: This post is a follow-up to Confessions: I'm Not Pro-Life Anymore and Dr. Rebecca Talks Abortion .
Two and a half years ago, I had a baby, and that changed my stance on abortion for good. While most people would not think of giving birth as a reason to desire to advocate for the ability to terminate pregnancy, my case was different. My sweet daughter was born early, very early--14 weeks early to be exact-- and for that, I had to spend 90 days in the highest level of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, or NICU at Texas Children’s Hospital. I saw what is required to keep a 26 week old baby alive. Seeing the extensive medical care that many children with various complications from birth required was a key moment in my decision to be pro-women’s health rights, pro-proper sex education, and ultimately pro-choice. Recent photos of “aborted fetuses” posted by pro-life people on Facebook have been emotional triggers to me, in that most of them aren’t actual aborted fetuses, but premature babies.
Two and a half years ago, I had a baby, and that changed my stance on abortion for good. While most people would not think of giving birth as a reason to desire to advocate for the ability to terminate pregnancy, my case was different. My sweet daughter was born early, very early--14 weeks early to be exact-- and for that, I had to spend 90 days in the highest level of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, or NICU at Texas Children’s Hospital. I saw what is required to keep a 26 week old baby alive. Seeing the extensive medical care that many children with various complications from birth required was a key moment in my decision to be pro-women’s health rights, pro-proper sex education, and ultimately pro-choice. Recent photos of “aborted fetuses” posted by pro-life people on Facebook have been emotional triggers to me, in that most of them aren’t actual aborted fetuses, but premature babies.
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| Hazel, as a tiny preemie - you should see her now! |
That, and some
introspection inspired me to share my feelings about how we, as a nation of
people who should want to care for our women and children, could realistically
handle the issue of abortion.
Abortion will never go away. There is no way to outlaw all
abortions; we can only outlaw safe abortions. The only way to reduce the amount
of abortions that happen is to give women proper education, affordable
contraception, and other screening tools. Even as someone who is pro-choice, I
support reducing any amount of medical intervention, such as abortion, by
providing ways to mitigate the need for it. It is important that we are able to
provide the least invasive medical intervention while still providing the
bodily autonomy that all people deserve. Do you know who provides these things
and other life-saving services? Planned Parenthood. It is imperative that we
reflect and take a realistic view of the world. The only way to reduce the
quantity of abortions is to give people quality tools to do so. That I why
stand with Planned Parenthood.
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