Termination for Medical Reasons Awareness Day
Today is Termination for Medical Reasons Awareness Day.
Also known as:
Termination For Maternal/Birthing Person’s Health Reasons OR Termination For Maternal/Birthing Person’s Mental Health Reasons
In December 2022, my husband and I learned we were pregnant.
This was a planned and wanted pregnancy.
We were thrilled. We told our families right away. I had names picked out.
Then, at our first ultrasound appointment, there was no sign of an embryo.
I stared at the screen of my empty uterus in complete shock. We soon learned it was an ectopic pregnancy.
We were devastated.
This is a picture my husband took of me during the treatment I needed for the ectopic pregnancy.
I had to do two rounds of chemotherapy to stop the cell growth.
While I still grieve this loss, I also feel grateful to have had access to this care.
Ectopic pregnancies are not viable pregnancies - meaning, a baby cannot come to be because the embryo did not implant in the uterus.
If untreated, they can lead to a Fallopian tube bursting, severe blood loss, and even death.
Since this event happened to me, the access to healthcare has come under attack throughout the country.
There is a lack of compassion and understanding as to why people end their pregnancies.
In some cases, like mine, it is necessary for the survival of the pregnant person.
In other cases *that are just as valid*, people:
do not feel ready or able to be a parent
are in abusive relationships
were raped
have their own personal reasons that are no one else’s business but their own.
These laws are not going to stop abortions. They are going to stop safe abortions.
This isn’t about pro-life. If it were, there would be more concern about children, who are already born, living in poverty or abuse.
This is solely about power and control.
Having access to healthcare, including abortions, is a human right.
This shouldn’t be up for a religious or political debate. But here we are.
If you resonate with any of this, you are not alone…
Call or text Postpartum Support International HelpLine at 800-944-4773. You never need a diagnosis to ask for help.
Download the Connect by PSI App
Call or text the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-852-6262
In a crisis situation, call or text the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988
Visit postpartum.net for additional programs and resources, including FREE online support groups.
