Prochoicer: Witnessing abortion is “intense emotional experience”

Abortion advocacy website RH Reality Check published an article by Kathleen Reeves in response to another article where a pro-choice writer described witnessing an abortion.

I’ve witnessed abortions not as a journalist but as a volunteer at Planned Parenthood. I assist the doctor, scrub technician, and anesthetist with room set-up and other simple tasks during the procedure, and I support the patients before, during, and after the abortion—taking their blood pressure, encouraging them to breathe deeply if they’re upset or in pain, holding their hands. It’s true that it’s an intense emotional experience, especially the first time you witness it. First, it’s overwhelming for someone outside the medical profession, like Sarah Kliff, and me, to be present for a surgical procedure.”…. I was exhausted, physically and emotionally, after my first day at Planned Parenthood. I think it’s wise that Kliff, after writing about abortion for years, has finally seen the procedure. If she’d like to further explore her emotional reaction to it, I’m sure her local Planned Parenthood would be glad to have her help.

Kathleen Reeves “Witnessing Abortion” RH Reality Check August 20, 2009

While early suction abortion may not reveal recognizable body parts, later abortions do.The person witnessing abortion may not see the recognizable parts traveling down the suction tube, but carefully examining the remains as early as 7 weeks post-conception will show arms and legs in the aftermath.

Reposted from clinicquotes.com