“An abortion survivor sharing her testimony is one powerful way to humanize the unborn baby” - Melissa Ohden, abortion survivor
Can you imagine learning that you were almost aborted?
That’s the experience of “abortion survivors,” who often don’t have any idea of the circumstances of their birth until adulthood.
The organization, the Abortion Survivors Network, advocates for the estimated 1,700-plus babies born each year during a failed abortion attempt. Some survived a chemical abortion – whether by procedural failure or abortion pill reversal–surgical abortion, at-home methods, or any other abortion attempt.
The Abortion Survivors Network (ASN) was started by Melissa Ohden, a survivor herself of a failed seventh-month saline infusion abortion. Melissa is dedicated to bringing attention to the pro-abortion fallacy that there’s such a thing as a “safe abortion.”
Although the U.S. fails to record data on abortion survivors, ASN’s research indicated there were minimally 1,734 abortion survivors in the U.S. alone in 2020. It’s estimated that 85,817 infants have been born alive after failed abortions since 1973.
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“Abortion supporters fear abortion survivors, because they’re a reminder that abortion isn’t health care; it’s the killing of a child,” said Shawn Carney, president of 40DaysforLife, in a recent 40 Days blog post.
Carney appeared in national media recently to discuss late-term abortion and the myth put forth by abortion supporters that no one supports abortion up until birth.
Carney pointed out the following facts:
• Disgraced Gov. Andrew Cuomo lit up the World Trade Center in pink to celebrate legalizing late term abortion;
• Disgraced Gov. Ralph Northam, a physician, went on the radio and described the protocol for killing a baby who survives her abortion;
• An East Coast "all-trimester" abortion business is looking to expand to California. "I think abortion in all trimesters is beautiful," said the Dupont Clinic's Karishma Oza. "There is also a myth that abortion in the second and third trimester is only for people experiencing anomalies. That's also not true."
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a candidate for president in the 2024 election, highlighted the issue during the first Republican primary, talking about signing a sex-week abortion ban into law.
“I know a lady in Florida named Penny,” DeSantis said. “She survived multiple abortion attempts. She was left discarded in a pan. Fortunately, her grandmother saved her and brought her to a different hospital.”
Penny Hopper’s mother first attempted a home abortion, followed by a medical abortion at 23 weeks. Facility staff were required to discard aborted babies born alive. Penny was placed in a pan and put outside to die.
The next day, my grandmother and aunt found me, still alive on the porch,” Hopper stated in a Faces of Choice video. “My grandmother’s exclamation, ‘She's Alive!’ shifted the narrative of my existence.”
Hopper was taken to the hospital, where she lived in an incubator for months, so fragile she was fed by eyedropper. She knew nothing about her traumatic birth until later before her father died. Her parents couldn't support another child and made the tragic choice to abort. Her father expressed his gratitude for Hopper’s presence and support in his life, “erasing doubts of me being a burden,” she said.
“Despite the adversity, my parents' love prevailed,” said Hopper. “Doctors' grim predictions were defied. I have gratitude for everyone who touched my life, and gave me hope. My life blossomed fully, with a brother, a devoted husband, two children, and seven grandchildren.”
Ohden shares another abortion survivor’s journey.
“When Amy first connected with us three years ago, she was shocked to find out there are many like her,” Ohden said. “I’ve been honored to watch Amy heal, grow stronger, and communicate with her biological family.”
At first Amy did not want to share her story publicly, but later agreed to do so in Ohden’s forthcoming book, More Than A Choice: Abortion Survivors Break Their Silence.
Failed abortions and the tragic results of them go back decades, with abortion providers and apologists continuing to deny and otherwise minimize the tragedy.
“Abortion survivors have been mocked time and again,” said Ohden. “We live in a society that states you should believe all victims, and all stories matter, but that’s not how they treat abortion survivors! Women who’ve experienced abortions, these voices go against the predominant narrative of abortion as a choice and are suppressed, attacked, and ignored.”
Tweet This: “We live in a society that states you should believe all victims, and all stories matter, but that’s not how they treat abortion survivors"
The Abortion Survivor’s Network newest project is a video series, "Unveiling the Untold Stories of Abortion Survivors," an effort that gives a voice to these brave individuals.
The powerful testimonies of these abortion survivors and others contradict the lie that abortion is merely a choice, underscoring that abortion takes baby's life and negatively impacts the lives of others.
