Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.
The overturning of Roe v. Wade changed the course of history and, in the process, nearly destroyed my family. After experiencing the heartbreak of over a dozen miscarriages and going through the trials of IVF, my wife, Anya, and I were overjoyed when our 18th pregnancy reached the second trimester. We allowed ourselves the luxury of hope, began telling family members, and even went crib shopping. Then, I helplessly watched my wife nearly die because she was denied the care she needed due to Florida’s abortion ban. I never thought this could happen to me, and I’m sharing my story so that other families, and men in particular, understand how attacks on reproductive freedom threaten all of us and the people we love.
When Anya’s water suddenly broke at 16 weeks, I rushed her to the emergency room, where we received a devastating diagnosis. Her amniotic sac had ruptured due to a condition known as PPROM, which affects about 1% of pregnancies and affects Black women at much higher rates than white women. Doctors told us that our daughter could not possibly survive without amniotic fluid before 20 weeks, and she would likely be stillborn in the next 24 hours. I felt as though our entire world was collapsing.
Before Roe v. Wade was overturned, the standard of care for patients experiencing this potentially life-threatening condition was an abortion. While we were devastated to lose our baby, we were prepared to move forward with the procedure to save Anya’s life.
However, the doctors told us that there was nothing they could do for us. “What do you mean you’re not going to admit her?” I cried out. That’s when they told us that due to Florida’s 15-week abortion ban, they were unable to treat Anya. Even though she was carrying a baby that would not survive and was at risk for infection or hemorrhaging, we…
Read the full article here
