Why I Am an Abortion Doctor

I grew up in a staunchly pro-life, baptist household. When I found myself acccidently pregnant at 17 and living on my own, without the support of my family - I felt completely isolated and lost. I even considered suicide. My desicion to have an abortion almost 10 years ago was the single most loving, caring and thoughful thing I had ever done for myself and I have not regretted it once. Having had my abortion performed by Dr. Poppema herself, I read her book and felt immediately connected to the pro-choice cause. I am now a nurse and health educator at a local abortion clinic, I have a beautiful 5 year old daughter by choice and a loving, supportive marriage. I owe the life that I have built, the career that I have chosen and love, the family that I've created and the person I am today to Dr. Suzanne Poppema and her staff who empowered me to make a choice.

American women are at a real crossroads as far as their reproductive rights are concerned. The historic Roe v. Wade decision of the early 1970s could actually be overturned in the next few years if Texas Governor George W. Bush is elected President. Bush would likely have to make several appointments to the Supreme Court, enough in all probability to overturn Roe v. Wade, given the current balance on the Court. Despite his reassurance that he will not attach a pro-life litmus test to his appointments, it is almost certain that his Supreme Court nominees would vote to overturn Roe. Despite the fact that the right of women to choose an abortion is in peril, there is little consciousness of this fact in American society. Suzanne T. Poppema's book, Why I Am An Abortion Doctor, provides an exceptionally timely wake up call on the subject.In her book, Dr. Poppema tells the fascinating story of how she rebelled against her family background and the school she attended, and became a committed feminist who rejected the paternalistic notion that the state should be able to govern women when it comes to matters of reproduction. She relates how she trained to become an abortion doctor and what it is like to run a clinic in an era when the anti-choice movement contains a fringe which is committed to taking violent, even lethal action to stop abortions. Dr. Poppema drives to work each day wearing a bullet proof vest. She has to deal with all of the barriers placed in the way of abortion clinics in American society today.Her book eloquently tells the stories of women who choose to have abortions, because of their marital or financial circumstances, or for other reasons. The real life stories of women who have made the choice to terminate a pregnancy is a very useful antidote to the hateful propaganda which so often dominates the discussion.Dr. Poppema explains how RU 486---the so-called abortion drug, developed in Europe---holds out the promise of replacing surgical abortions with this alternative, which is now widely available in France, and has been tried on an expermental basis in the United States.Why I Am An Abortion Doctor is well written, absorbing and to the point on an issue that is bound to gain even greater prominence between now and election day in November.