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OB/GYN Shares The Many Reasons Her Patients Had For Abortions, Says They’re All Completely Valid
Alabama has made a home in the headlines after Governor Kay Ivey signed the Alabama Human Life Protection Act – the countries most restrictive abortion law to date. In response women everywhere have used whatever platform they have to share their opinions and experiences, the most popular one being social media. Several hashtags have popped up to encourage and destigmatize the dialogue surrounding abortions such as #ShoutYourAbortion and #YouKnowMe, and while many agree that sharing these stories are important, others – like this OB/GYN – also think that a woman shouldn’t have to share or have a traumatic story for her right to choose to be respected.
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This OB/GYN responded to the new abortion law in Alabama in a powerful post that has since gone viral
An obstetrician-gynecologist with almost 17-years of experience shared a post on the website Scary Mommy as a response to Alabama’s law, that only allows abortions to prevent a serious health risk. OB/GYNs found breaking this law could face up to 99-years in prison or even a life sentence. She began by inviting people to come into her exam room “just for a moment, to listen to the stories I have heard from women. Listen carefully to what is said to me behind closed doors.”
She mentioned the multiple reasons women had given for their procedures that ranged from economic to medical to mistakes to rape. There has been much controversy surrounding Alabama’s law even among religious conservatives over the fact that it does not allow exceptions for rape or incest.
In 2004 the Guttmacher Institute conducted a survey completed by 1,209 abortion patients at 11 large providers and in-depth interviews with 38 women at four sites. They found the most frequently cited reasons were: that having a child would interfere with a woman’s education, work or ability to care for dependents (74%); that she could not afford a baby now (73%); and that she did not want to be a single mother or was having relationship problems (48%). Nearly four in 10 women said they had completed their childbearing, and almost one-third were not ready to have a child.
At the end of the post, the OB/GYN finished by saying that the reasons why a woman was seeking an abortion didn’t matter, “You don’t need a reason other than, this is your choice.” She added that if people were sent to prison for treating their patients then “we have gone too far.”
Women in the comments thanked the doctor for her support
What do you think ?
Elizabeth A Montero 5 years ago
My one and only pregnancy was described as a "train wreck". I was a newly diagnosed and uncontrolled diabetic. I had just found out that I had a bicornuate uterus, and I was pregnant with twins. This pregnancy could have killed me. I am forever grateful that I had a choice, no matter how difficult it was.
Care 5 years ago
Thank you for sharing. Sorry you had to go through that.
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Foxxy 5 years ago (edited)
This should not even be up for debate, abortions should never be made illegal. No one has a right over a woman uterus except herself alone.
OnlyMyOpinion 5 years ago
Not just her uterus, it's her entire life, mind and body.
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Zoe's Mom 5 years ago
I had a debate with a male co-worker who is against abortion. I sat and listened and then said, "So if a woman is raped, you want her to be raped over and over again as she feels this child grow"? This child did not come into this world out of love. So she should deliver a child she never wanted/never consented to"? He just looked at me like the lights went on. I don't think abortion should be used as birth control but there are MANY, MANY reasons we need to keep this legal.
anarkzie 5 years ago
What is meant by abortion being used as birth control? Are there people that think that women go around having lots of unprotected sex and just go f**k it I'll just abort whatever's going on in there in a month or two or are people saying that abortion should only be under extreme circumstance rape etc; Genuine question?.
Load More Replies...
Elizabeth A Montero 5 years ago
My one and only pregnancy was described as a "train wreck". I was a newly diagnosed and uncontrolled diabetic. I had just found out that I had a bicornuate uterus, and I was pregnant with twins. This pregnancy could have killed me. I am forever grateful that I had a choice, no matter how difficult it was.
Care 5 years ago
Thank you for sharing. Sorry you had to go through that.
Load More Replies... Foxxy 5 years ago (edited)
This should not even be up for debate, abortions should never be made illegal. No one has a right over a woman uterus except herself alone.
OnlyMyOpinion 5 years ago
Not just her uterus, it's her entire life, mind and body.
Load More Replies... Zoe's Mom 5 years ago
I had a debate with a male co-worker who is against abortion. I sat and listened and then said, "So if a woman is raped, you want her to be raped over and over again as she feels this child grow"? This child did not come into this world out of love. So she should deliver a child she never wanted/never consented to"? He just looked at me like the lights went on. I don't think abortion should be used as birth control but there are MANY, MANY reasons we need to keep this legal.
anarkzie 5 years ago
What is meant by abortion being used as birth control? Are there people that think that women go around having lots of unprotected sex and just go f**k it I'll just abort whatever's going on in there in a month or two or are people saying that abortion should only be under extreme circumstance rape etc; Genuine question?.
Load More Replies...
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