(CNSNews.com) – Melissa Ohden, a survivor of a saline abortion and the founder of the Abortion Survivors Network, testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, asking the senators if they would ensure that “proper and timely medical care” is provided to babies who are “lucky enough” to survive an abortion.
The hearing was held to review the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act and the Born Alive Infant Protection Act. Ohden asked the lawmakers, “Will you assure that children like me are provided proper and timely medical care when we are lucky enough to survive an abortion?”
The Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act would ban abortion past 20 weeks of pregnancy, and the Born Alive Infant Protection Act would require health care practitioners to provide medical treatment to a child born alive in their presence after an abortion attempt.
“What I would hope that comes out of this is not only that more children like me are protected and given proper medical care when we survive, but that women receive education,” Ohden told CNSNews.com following her testimony.
“Let’s talk about the truth, the truth behind how children feel pain, the truth about what abortion does, the truth of what abortion is,” Ohden told CNSNews.com regarding the message that she would like to send.
“The truth is that I survived an abortion and I think that’s what I want people to take away from today,” she said. “You know, this is the truth about abortion.”
CNSNews.com asked Ohden what her response would be to those who argue that the legislation restricts women’s choices.
“We’ve heard the same thing for decades now, and I think the difference between that message and the message of truth is that that message is rooted in fear,” Ohden replied.
“A lot of the same remarks that we’ve heard over and over again for over 40 years are based on this fear that they are trying to strike in people’s hearts, right, that women will no longer have choices that women are going to be performing their own abortions or having back alley abortions,” she said.
“That’s what got us here today and we’ve heard from those who are experts that they don’t find those fear based statements to even be true when you look at the evidence,” said Ohden.
“What I would hope that comes out of this is not only that more children like me are protected and given proper medical care when we survive, but that women receive education,” she concluded. “We know that when women receive information about human development, they see an ultrasound, they receive the truth about that life inside of them, and I want every woman to have that opportunity. I want every woman to have true choice.”
(Courtesy of YouTube) 
