Kansas Stories - Late Second or Third Trimester Abortions

Mothers tell their stories of heartbreaking choices requiring travel to other states.

No one "wants" to have a late second or third trimester abortion, and the reality is that abortion in the third trimester is extremely rare. Most people don't realize the reasons that women seek late second or third trimester abortions. Many poor prenatal diagnoses are not caught until the Level II ultra sound, which is usually performed at twenty weeks of pregnancy.

Most women who get a poor prenatal diagnosis at this point in their pregnancy receive multiple ultra sounds, second and third opinions and conflicting recommendations. Parents that choose to terminate after 24 weeks (the legal cut-off in most states for abortion) do so only after weighing the alternatives carefully. They don't make this decision lightly or in haste, they make this decision out of love, to prevent their children from suffering. All their hopes and dreams for their child have just been smashed into a million pieces amid a torrent of consults. Time is of the essence both legally and medically and in that small window of time, the most difficult decision a parent will ever know has to be made - almost immediately.

Here are the stories of women who were faced with this decision. We know there are more "Termination After 24 Weeks" stories out there. If you have one, we'd like to encourage you to share it here. Facing a late diagnosis and being forced to travel out of state can make an already difficult choice even harder to bear. Laws restricting access to late term abortion just makes this awful experience even worse. Your story may help other women in this unfortunate situation to find strength and courage. Please share with us.

Mothers tell their stories...

I told her how sorry I was and that I loved her and did not want her to suffer. I would rather suffer every day for the rest of my life than to allow her to suffer one moment in life.

~Mom of an Angel

Everything was going great. As already having two "normal" pregnancies under my belt, I felt confident. I knew there was always that chance of hearing bad news but I said "no, not me, not our baby."

~A Heartbroken Mother

We felt that if our daughter had been in a car accident and was on life support with the same internal injuries, we would not keep her on life support and let her suffer. This child deserved the same dignity."

~ A grieving mom

I initially thought I would "be brave" and continue my pregnancy. But I came to realize that ultimately it wasn't about how strong I could be, how deeply I wanted this baby or what important lessons he could teach me. It was about what he would experience in his short life. Given his diagnosis, he would have known only suffering. As his mother, I couldn't allow that to happen.

~ A mother at peace

It was our ignorance for believing that all pregnancies led to a healthy baby. It was my arrogance for believing that since I had the best medical care, took prenatal vitamins even before and during my pregnancy, never took drugs, never smoked cigarettes and drank about half a glass of wine a year, that our baby would be safe.

~A bereaved mother

A mother will stop at nothing, including her own hurt, both mentally and physically, to protect her child.

~Brokenhearted Mother