Debbie Reynolds abortion story: they almost allowed me to die because of that silly law
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In 1989, the late great Debbie Reynolds shared her story of suffering two miscarriages pre-Roe v. Wade which would have killed her had she not been given life-saving abortion care. She was able to plead her case and get medical intervention in both instances, but it sounds like it was touch and go for her and that only her privilege saved her. Debbie told her story to Joan Rivers. Her story is similar to Halsey’s and to countless other stories from people whose lives have been saved by an aftercare abortion.
In the video clip from 1989, the legendary actress — who passed away in 2016 — told Joan Rivers that doctors initially refused her an abortion in the 1960s because it was against the law. The vintage clip resurfaced after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last week.
“I had Carrie and Todd [Fisher] and I wanted to have two other children. I got pregnant, I was very lucky, in that sense, right away,” she shared of growing her family with husband Eddie Fisher. “I was pregnant seven months and the baby died inside of me but I didn’t know it. It just sorta shrunk down a little bit.”
She continued, “And in those days, there were no abortions allowed, whether you were ill, whether you were raped, whether the child died, which is disgusting to think there is those laws.”
The Singin’ in the Rain star revealed that she was told she had to carry the baby “full-term.”
“That was the law. It didn’t matter,” she explained. “It had to abort itself — it could not be taken from me. It’s insane to think that could be.”
She said the experience was especially painful because she still looked visibly pregnant and people would ask her, “‘How’s the baby? What name are you going to name the baby?’ ”
Doctors were eventually forced to do the procedure because Reynold’s life was at risk.
“They couldn’t leave it anymore because now the child is in the sac but, of course, finally after so much time, all the poisons and everything would have killed me,” she explained.
“They finally agreed they would try to take this child out,” she added. “At this point now, it was more dangerous than ever.”
Reynolds was “lucky enough” to get pregnant again after a number of months; however, she suffered the same experience.
“The same thing happened. Second baby dies, just like that. And this time, I said, ‘I don’t want a note from Congress. I don’t want a note from any of you. You are taking this baby now because I don’t want to have to go through what I had to go through before,” she revealed. “And they did and the law was still in existence that couldn’t be but because of knowing that they almost allowed me to die because of that silly law.”
Self-managed abortions are medically indistinguishable from miscarriages. Women are already being surveilled, investigated and prosecuted for pregnancy loss. This will of course disproportionately affect people without means and people of color. As Reynolds’ story and countless other examples make clear, more people will die from lack of care. It will worsen as more women face criminal consequences for seeking care. Boards of hospitals made up of old white men valuing profitably above lives and trying to limit legal risks will be making medical decisions for the most affluent white women who are lucky enough to get to that point. The overturn of Roe v. Wade is a crime against humanity.
Here’s Reynolds’ interview. At a minute in she says it was “disgusting to think that there [were] those laws” and the crowd clapped. She also says she’s never been so happy. Fast forward to minute six for a cute moment. I can’t believe it’s been six years since we lost Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds. It seems like it was only a couple of years ago. I know she’s not everyone’s favorite but I feel the same about Joan Rivers.
Photos credit: UPPA/Photoshot, Avalon.red, Getty
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