Speaking out against "late term abortion" bans

Several state legislatures held hearings this week concerning proposed bans on abortions after 20 weeks.

In Minnesota, Alicia Hemple shared her story of terminating her much-wanted pregnancy due to a diagnosis of Trisomy 18.

In Kansas, Tiffany Campbell shared her agonizing decision to terminate one twin due to Twin-to-Twin transfusion syndrome.

In Washington, D.C. last month at two separate press conferences with pro-choice legislators, two women courageously shared their stories of interrupting planned and wanted pregnancies due to severe fetal anomalies. Dana Weinstein shared the story of her baby girl who was diagnosed in utero with agenesis of the corpus callosum and polymicrogyria. Mary Vargas tearfully shared her story of interrupting her pregnancy of her baby boy due to Potters syndrome.

All of these women deserve to be commended for bravely sharing their personal and heartbreaking stories to fight against anti-choice attacks. I know from personal experience how difficult it is to share such a personal and painful story in front of a group of strangers, not to mention lawmakers. But in the end, the more women who speak out and share these controversial decisions, the less stigma society will place on them, and the more those anti-choice politicians will know that we won't lie down and roll over while they strip us of our rights.

The people 20-week abortion bans really impact

Danielle and Robb Deaver of Grand Island, Nebraska shared their story of being legally prevented from terminating their pregnancy with their baby who wasn't expected to survive due to underdeveloped lungs. After Danielle's water broke at 22 weeks, she was unable to replenish and sustain her amniotic fluid. Danielle and her husband then asked her physician if she could terminate the pregnancy--both to preserve her own health (by avoiding the risk of infection) and to prevent their unborn baby girl from suffering at birth due to the lack of fluid. Read the rest of their heartbreaking story here.