Michigan Democratic Sen. Gary Peters opened up about his experience with abortion in an interview with Elle Magazine, becoming the first sitting United States senator to do so.
In the 1980s, Peters’ wife at the time, Heidi, was four months into her pregnancy when her water broke, leaving the fetus without the anatomic fluid necessary for its survival. Their doctor told them to go home and wait for a natural miscarriage, he told Elle.
The miscarriage, however, never happened. When the couple returned to the hospital the following day, the doctor recommended an abortion, though it violated the hospital’s no-abortion policy. As a result, they were sent home again, Peters said.
When they returned three days after Heidi’s initial diagnosis, her health had deteriorated, and her doctor recommended an abortion as soon as possible. Without one, she risked losing her uterus and her life, Peters told Elle.
My story is one that’s tragically shared by so many Americans.
It’s a story of gut-wrenching and complicated decisions — but it’s important for folks to understand families face these situations every day.https://t.co/VA3VDbjWrO
— Gary Peters (@GaryPeters) October 12, 2020
Ultimately, they were able to get into a different hospital that allowed the procedure, possibly saving Heidi’s life, she told Elle.
“If it weren’t for urgent and critical medical care, I could have lost my life,” she said.
Peters said that he decided to share his story because “it’s important for folks to understand that these things happen every day.”
“When you live it in real life, you realize the significant impact it can have on a family,” he said.
Peters is currently locked in a tight reelection race with GOP challenger John James. While Peters identifies as pro-choice, James identifies as pro-life, supports overturning Roe v. Wade and has referred to abortion as “genocide.” (RELATED: John James Closing The Gap Against Sen Peters, Poll Shows)
Peters has a single-digit lead over James in a Senate race that the Cook Political Report rates as “leans Democratic.”
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