Debate Over Abortion Continues | Video

Jessica Roose | 2/8/2013

Abortion has been a divisive issue for decades, and the debate still goes on. State lawmakers in the Senate and the House are considering restrictions once again. One Bismarck woman, who has been watching these bills go through the legislature says this issue isn`t black or white.

Becky Matthews plays with her youngest of four children. But she says she can`t help but think of a time before they were born, when she and her husband found out they were expecting their third child.

"We went in for an ultrasound and found out instead of our third child, we were having our third and fourth."

The excitement didn`t last long. Just two days later, she was told the twins were suffering from Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome, which means one baby was receiving more blood flow and the other not enough.

"Our smaller twin, Emily, only had a small part of the placenta and Anna, our larger twin had more of the placenta and they noticed some blood flow changes with Emily," she said.

Matthews and her husband were given three options. One was to undergo laser surgery to cut the connecting blood flow in the placenta, to protect Anna if Emily passed away.

"Our second option was to terminate Emily to protect Anna, knowing that she ...Not knowing how much longer she could survive the pregnancy," Matthews said.

Option three was to wait and see. They decided to think it all over and had a scheduled visit to Minneapolis to visit their doctor in a week.

"We never made that appointment. On June 19, 2007 I went to the doctor after not feeling them move. Just my OB, called her and said, `Can you check the babies?` And neither of them had heartbeats," Matthews said.

She delivered her girls just shy of 21 weeks, weighing about a pound each.
Her experience has her concerned about several abortion related bills going through the legislature.

"The question before us is not whether a detectable heartbeat means life or not but whether such a life or potential life deserves to be protected under the law," said Rep. Dwight Kiefert (R) from Valley City.

House Bill 1456 is one of several bills in the legislature. This one bans abortions after a heartbeat is detected.

Another bill bans abortions for gender selection and genetic abnormalities.

"This bill mandates based on suppositions. It takes the benefit of personal decision and choice out of the hands of the mothers and families and places it firmly in ours," said Rep. Gail Mooney (D) from Cummings.

Supporters say abortion is no different than killing a child after he or she is born.

"If you`re going to make it ok to kill a child, it doesn`t matter at what stage you make that determination," said Rep. Diane Larson (R) from Bismarck.

But Matthews says it isn`t always so black or white.

The House passed both bills this afternoon. All of the bills passed by the Senate and House will have to go to the opposite chambers for consideration.

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