Gracie Ladd describes her experience of having to travel across state lines to get an abortion as a “living nightmare.”
Abortions that take place at or after 21 weeks make up only 1% of all abortions in the United States, as stated by KKF. It is important to note that claims of abortions happening “moments before birth” or “after birth” are completely false. Such practices are not legal in the United States.
In January 2024, Ladd found herself at the midway point of her pregnancy, having completed 20 weeks.
Ladd wasn’t aware of the fact that in Wisconsin, women are allowed to have an abortion up until the 20th week.
Ladd and her husband were in for a major surprise during their son Connor’s anatomy scan.
During the scan, we were unexpectedly ushered into a separate room where our doctor awaited us. Without much preamble, she expressed her condolences and delivered the devastating news. “I’m so sorry,” she began. “Based on what I’ve observed, it seems that your baby will not be able to survive.” Ladd recounted the heartbreaking moment.
According to Ladd, he mentioned that the baby wouldn’t survive until full term.
That’s when Ladd’s world began to whirl. She made the difficult choice to end the pregnancy, understanding that it was the best decision for her well-being and future ability to conceive. Subsequently, she came to the realization that she had missed the window of opportunity to receive the necessary medical attention in Wisconsin.
“I was filled with fear about the prospect of going to the hospital in Wisconsin. The uncertainty of whether I would face prosecution loomed over me, and there was no clear answer to this pressing concern.”
Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, pregnant women in Wisconsin have navigated a precarious path when it comes to seeking abortion care. Ladd recounts that even her healthcare providers exhibited hesitancy in providing the necessary support.
“It was a difficult decision, and going through it felt like a living nightmare,” Ladd expressed. “Experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions, knowing that I would never get to hold my child, and then having to travel and meet a team of professionals on the very day my son’s life came to an end… it was truly traumatic.”
During her doctor visits, Ladd feels the weight of her past, even as she looks forward to the arrival of her healthy baby girl.
Ladd’s doctor was going through the list, affirming that everything appeared to be in good shape. Upon hearing this, Ladd was overwhelmed with emotion and couldn’t hold back her tears.
It was difficult for her to accept that everything was fine for this particular case, while she couldn’t help but wonder why things couldn’t have been the same for Connor.