As a concerned parent, I cannot help but express my fears for my daughter’s future. I am troubled by the thought of her being denied critical medical attention just because of a state law, especially if she were to find herself in a life-threatening situation due to a pregnancy.
As a guest columnist,
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- Abby Collins lives with her family in Muscatine.
Having grown up in a faith-healing church in Indiana, I witnessed the dire consequences of pregnant women being deprived of necessary medical care. This experience has left me feeling deeply apprehensive about the availability of abortion in Iowa.
Growing up, death and loss were tragically familiar to me due to the culture I was raised in. The church my parents attended preached that God would heal us, causing many to forego essential medical treatment. As a consequence, I witnessed numerous pregnant women around me succumb to childbirth, leaving behind grieving daughters who were suddenly tasked with raising their younger siblings. For me, maternal and infant death were all too commonplace.
As a mother of two young children at the age of 42, I am deeply concerned about the increasing restrictions imposed by politicians on various forms of pregnancy care, including the option of abortion, even when the pregnancy poses a threat to the mother’s life or health.
The Republican stance on abortion in Texas has become more evident after the Supreme Court ruling. They seem to believe that judges are more informed than doctors about the matter.
My first pregnancy was a close call, and the issues surrounding maternal health are far from theoretical for me.
My doctor told me ‘you’re having this kid’
Back when I resided in Missouri, the state policy prohibited abortions beyond 20 weeks. Unfortunately, the current legal terrain in Missouri is even more restrictive, with all abortions being outlawed except in specific medical emergency situations.
Getting pregnant was a long-awaited dream that finally came true and we were ecstatic about having a baby. However, during my 19th-week ultrasound, I was bombarded with questions from the nurse and a maternal-fetal medicine specialist regarding the conception date. It was then that I discovered that the fetus had a significant growth restriction, and if I were to miscarry in the coming weeks, the baby would either face severe developmental delays or not survive at all. To make matters worse, I was at a high risk of developing life-threatening preeclampsia.
When we asked the specialist about our prognosis, she refused to answer our repeated questions. Despite being close to 20 weeks, her response was dismissive, “I don’t know what you want me to say. At this point, you’re having this child.”
Memories of past fears came flooding back as I found myself in a familiar situation. I had previously escaped from the clutches of faith-healing theologians but now, my doctors were hesitant in providing me with informed consent. To make matters worse, politicians were taking away my right to receive evidence-based care. In addition to all this, my husband and I were struggling to navigate a high-risk pregnancy, which only added to our worries.
At 33 weeks, I began to suffer from preeclampsia, which led to liver failure. My baby, weighing only 2 pounds and 10 ounces, had to spend six weeks in intensive care. Thanks to my private insurance, which was covered by the Affordable Care Act, we did not have to worry about the exorbitant medical costs. Without this coverage, our finances would have been ruined.
Last summer, when Gov. Kim Reynolds signed Iowa’s six-week abortion ban, I made the decision to get my tubes tied. The current environment in this state is too risky for me to chance getting pregnant again, especially with two children to care for. I am all too aware of the lifelong devastation that leaving behind children can cause.
As a concerned mother, I am compelled to speak up about the future that lies ahead for my daughter. What if she finds herself in a situation where she requires critical medical care during pregnancy, but state laws prevent her from accessing it? I have personally witnessed the extreme risks that women face when religious beliefs and political agendas take precedence over their health and wellbeing. It’s alarming to think that we might be heading down a path towards the same world of maternal and infant mortality that we fought so hard to overcome.
Abby Collins and her family reside in the city of Muscatine.