I said Yes to Fetal Reduction

Nothing is as difficult as deciding whether to end a life, especially as a mother.

Aabha Gopan
The Memoirist

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Photo by Logan Moreno Gutierrez on Unsplash

Note: This article contains content that could be traumatizing or offensive to some readers.

My husband and I waited outside the scanning room with other pregnant women, many of whom were showing. I was only eight weeks pregnant and didn’t have a baby bump to flaunt.

“Aabha,” a nurse called out from inside the scanning room. I abruptly stood up from my chair and looked at my husband for assurance.

Since my pregnancy was in the early stages, the radiologist insisted on a transvaginal ultrasound. As he moved the ultrasound probe, I looked for signs of emotions on his impassive face.

“Is this an IVF pregnancy?” he asked with eyes glued to the monitor fixed behind my head.

“No,” I replied meekly.

“Did you take contraceptive pills?”

“No,” I replied again. He asks these questions to all patients I consoled myself.

“Is everything fine?” I asked, gathering confidence.

“You’re having triplets. Congrats,” he smiled and asked the nurse to call in the next patient.

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Aabha Gopan
The Memoirist

Loving human minds while changing my toddler's diaper.