Article Summary –
Dr. Anusha Viswanathan, a pediatrician specializing in infectious diseases, decided to share her abortion story from ten years ago after the leak suggesting the Supreme Court might overturn Roe v. Wade, feeling compelled to speak out against the erosion of abortion access. Her personal experience involved terminating a pregnancy at 20 weeks due to severe chromosomal abnormalities and fetal growth restrictions, which she describes as empathetic care during a traumatic situation. Viswanathan draws parallels with Ireland’s legal changes following Savita Halappandavar’s death, expressing anger and frustration over the lack of similar progress in the U.S. after the fall of Roe, underscoring the urgency for action to prevent suffering.
Dr. Anusha Viswanathan, a Bucks County pediatrician specializing in infectious diseases, had an abortion a decade ago. She initially shared the experience only with family and friends until the Supreme Court’s potential reversal of Roe v. Wade was leaked, prompting her to speak out.
In 2015, during her medical fellowship in Pittsburgh, Viswanathan and her husband decided to start a family. She was 32 when she got pregnant, but early blood tests indicated high risks of chromosomal abnormalities, often leading to miscarriage, birth defects, or disabilities. At 20 weeks, her ultrasound showed severe growth restriction, making survival unlikely. After further tests, she chose a dilation and evacuation (D&E) procedure.
Today, with two children, aged 8 and 5, Viswanathan reflects on the erosion of abortion access even before Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ended Roe. The Dobbs leak compelled her to act, realizing many opportunities to prevent suffering were missed. “As a doctor, I knew the consequences,” she said. “Awareness and regret weighed heavily on me for not acting sooner.”
Viswanathan’s story gives her agency over her lost pregnancy, yet she feels anger over post-Roe developments. She referenced Dr. Savita Halappanavar, who died in Ireland due to abortion restrictions, sparking a successful repeal movement. “One tragedy reshaped a nation,” she said. “Why isn’t this happening here? How many more deaths must occur?”
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