John McCain said during one of the 2008 debates that the "health of the mother [air quotes] ... is the extreme pro-abortion position." I’ve reposted this diary over the years, but I think today’s SCOTUS questions have returned me to how the danger to women experiencing a dangerous or failed pregnancy cannot be underestimated.
I went through an abortion due to a cornual pregnancy. I was ridiculed and obstructed by my doctor for wanting this. It was an utter nightmare. You've heard of an ectopic pregnancy? Where the egg implants itself in the fallopian tube? I had one before this pregnancy and it blew up and required major emergency surgery.
I became pregnant again months later, and my new doctor (I had just changed my insurance to Kaiser) said, well, I think you have a 6 week cornual pregnancy. What is that, I said. She (!) said, your uterus is shaped like a triangle, with the fallopian tubes entering from the top corners. A cornual pregnancy is when the egg implants itself near the corner of the uterus where the fallopian tube enters. If it grows there, it will explode your uterus, and you will die immediately. it is way worse than an ectopic pregnancy.
I said, what should I do? She said, oh, wait a couple of weeks so we can make sure we see it on the sonogram. I said, what's the risk I could die? She said (being a right to life advocate, I found out later) just trust in god that you will be OK. I said, after gasping at this response, I want to live. She said, stop crying in my office. I said, I want a D&C RIGHT NOW or we are finding your supervisor. She backed off and said ok.
When I got to the hospital, I told the nurses prepping me about the doctor's response. They were horrified and said they would make sure I was ok, and that I should report the doctor. I’ve never heard that from a nurse.
Afterwards, the doctor called my husband and admitted that I needed the D&C — it was cornual. She never called me or followed up with me. This happened in 1991. What could have happened to me if abortions were illegal? I am sure I’d be dead. The fact that anyone would ridicule or block women who need an abortion for health reasons is utterly astounding.
I have two amazing daughters, one my miracle child [as I now know], and a stepdaughter. They are both in their 30s. What would happen to them with illegal abortions? I shudder to think.
Although this happened 30 years ago, the pain is still there. Losing a wanted pregnancy, facing possible death, and attempted obstruction by a physician was very difficult. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.