Navigating Emotions at a Colorado Late-Term Abortion Clinic
BOULDER, Colo. — Behind bullet-proof doors in a generic office park is one of only five clinics in the country where women can access the rarest — and most controversial — abortion procedures. Dr. Warren Hern, who has run the Boulder Abortion Clinic since 1975, speaks about the diverse range of women who seek their services, from young victims of abuse to older women facing life-threatening illnesses that make pregnancy impossible.
Specializing in second- and third-trimester abortions, Dr. Hern and his team are at the center of a heated political debate surrounding the issue of late-term abortions. Critics argue that abortions after fetal viability, typically around 24 weeks, are too late in a pregnancy to terminate. Former President Donald Trump has expressed discomfort with later-term abortions, calling the idea of abortions up to the ninth month “ridiculous.”
However, statistics show that only about 1% of abortions are performed after 21 weeks, with the vast majority occurring at or before nine weeks of pregnancy. Dr. Hern clarifies that he does not perform abortions in the eighth or ninth month except in extreme medical emergencies and only in a hospital setting. He emphasizes that the decision to perform abortions beyond the first trimester is driven by unforeseen circumstances, often involving patients from states with strict abortion bans.
Subheadings: The Stories of Patients, Challenges in Accessing Care, The Impact of Abortion Bans
The Stories of Patients
Women who seek late-term abortions at the Boulder Abortion Clinic come from all walks of life and face a myriad of difficult situations. Dr. Hern recounts the story of a 15-year-old girl who was 25 weeks pregnant as a result of sexual abuse. Another patient was carrying conjoined twins, while a surrogate had a fetus that had stopped moving in the womb. These cases highlight the complex and heartbreaking decisions that women are forced to make when confronted with unexpected circumstances during pregnancy.
One couple, Emma and Stewart, from Texas, shared their experience of traveling to Colorado for an abortion after receiving a devastating diagnosis of a severe fetal anomaly at 24 weeks. Despite the emotional toll, they made the difficult decision to terminate the pregnancy and expressed gratitude to Dr. Hern and his staff for their compassion and support during the process. The couple’s story underscores the deeply personal and often agonizing nature of late-term abortions, challenging preconceived notions about the reasons behind such procedures.
Challenges in Accessing Care
Willow, a young woman in her 20s, faced significant obstacles in accessing abortion care after discovering she was five months pregnant. Despite being a Colorado resident, she struggled to find a clinic that could accommodate her due to her advanced stage of pregnancy. Willow’s experience highlights the difficulties that many women encounter in securing timely and appropriate abortion services, particularly in states with restrictive laws and limited access to providers.
The Impact of Abortion Bans
The recent overturning of Roe v. Wade has further exacerbated the challenges faced by women seeking abortions, particularly those in states with near-total bans on the procedure. Dr. Hern warns that criminalizing abortion not only poses a health crisis for women but also represents a national catastrophe that puts women’s lives at risk. The Guttmacher Institute reports that 14 states have enacted stringent abortion restrictions, further limiting women’s reproductive rights and access to essential healthcare services.
In Conclusion
The stories of patients like Emma, Stewart, Willow, and countless others shed light on the complex realities of late-term abortions and the critical need for safe and accessible reproductive healthcare services. As debates around abortion continue to rage on, it is essential to center the voices and experiences of women who are directly impacted by these policies and regulations. Dr. Hern and his team at the Boulder Abortion Clinic remain steadfast in their commitment to providing compassionate care to women in need, navigating the challenging terrain of emotions and ethics surrounding late-term abortions.
