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'That's when I got the worst feeling': Omaha woman shares personal story of abortion

'That's when I got the worst feeling': Omaha woman shares personal story of abortion
PROPOSALS TO INCREASE ABORTION RESTRICTIONS IN NEBRASKA SEND THE LEGISLATURE INTO GRIDLOCK. GOOD EVENING. I’M ROB MCCARTNEY AND I’M JULIE CORNELL WITH TEMPERS RUNNING SHORT. OPPONENTS EXTENDED DEBATE EVEN THOUGH THEY LIKELY LACKED THE VOTES TO STOP THE LEGISLATION FROM MOVING FORWARD. THEY’LL RESUME THEIR ATTEMPT AGAIN IN THE MORNING TO DERAIL LBE 626 OF THE BILLS CALLED THE NEBRASKA HEARTBEAT ACT. IT WOULD BAN ALMOST ALL ABORTIONS AFTER SIX WEEKS OF PREGNANCY. STAGE WHEN AN ULTRASOUND CAN USUALLY DETECT A FETAL HEARTBEAT. DOCTORS WHO VIOLATE THE MEASURE WOULD LOSE THEIR LICENSE TO PRACTICE. THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS IN CASES OF SEXUAL ASSAULT OR A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. WELL, TONIGHT WE FRAME THE DEBATE THROUGH THE EYES OF A WOMAN SHARING HER PERSONAL STORY OF LIFE AND LOSS. KETV NEWSWATCH 7 ABBIE PETERSEN HAS OUR BIG STORY TONIGHT. ABBY, ABBY WALLER UNDERWENT AN ABORTION TWO YEARS AGO WHEN SHE WAS 15 WEEKS PREGNANT. SHE SAYS SHE MADE THE DECISION WHEN DOCTORS TOLD HER THE BABY WOULD NOT SURVIVE IF IT’S AN OPTION SHE FEARED SHE WOULD NOT HAVE HAD. UNDER THE NEBRASKA HEARTBEAT ACT, PREGNANCY CAN BE THE HAPPIEST TIME IN SOME PEOPLE’S LIVES. AND IT WAS FOR ABBY WALLER. WE WERE REALLY SUPER EXCITED. WE WERE GOING TO HAVE A SECOND BABY. A SECOND BABY AT AGE 37. SO SHE HAD GENETIC TESTING DONE. SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH TRISOMY 21. SO A DOWN’S SYNDROME. BUT WALLER SAID THAT WAS OKAY. AND THEY HAD MORE TESTING DONE. THAT’S WHEN THINGS TOOK A TURN. THAT’S WHEN I GOT THE WORST. LIKE FEELING, THE WORST GUT FEELING, GUT PUNCH I’VE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE. I WAS TOLD THAT MY BABY WAS GOING TO SURVIVE. WALLER SAYS HER BABY’S BRAIN WAS NOT DEVELOPED CORRECTLY AND SHE HAD A HEART CONDITION. SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN INTUBATED. SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN POKED AND PRODDED AND SHE WOULD HAVE NOT HAD A GOOD QUALITY OF LIFE. EVEN RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE. THESE ARE THE LAST PHOTOS OF AVA LOUISE. AT 15 WEEKS BEFORE SHE HAD AN ABORTION IN OMAHA IN MARCH 2020, NOW SHE PROTEST BILLS LIMITING ABORTIONS AND IS AGAINST. 626 STATE SENATOR JONI ALLBRIGHT IS THE ONE WHO INTRODUCED THE BILL. THE NEBRASKA HEARTBEAT ACT THAT WOULD BAN ABORTIONS AROUND SIX WEEKS. EXCEPTIONS INCLUDE CASES OF RAPE, INCEST AND SAVING THE LIFE OF A MOTHER. KETV NEWSWATCH, SEVEN ASKED ALBRIGHT IF HER BILL WOULD IMPACT ABORTIONS IN SCITUATE SESSIONS SIMILAR TO WALLER’S FETAL ANOMALIES COULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME. WITH WHATEVER YOUR DOCTOR SHOULD SAY TO YOU. BUT AGAIN, THAT’S A DECISION BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR DOCTOR THAT WOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO. I DON’T BELIEVE WITH THE BILL THAT’S BEING PRESENTED. ALBRIGHT SAYS SHE DOESN’T BELIEVE HER BILL WOULD HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH SITUATIONS LIKE WALLER’S BECAUSE HER BILL SAYS IF THE BABY HAS A HEARTBEAT, YOU CAN’T HAVE AN ELECTIVE ABORTION. THIS IS A DECISION THAT SHE’S GOING TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE WITH WITH THE DOCTORS. APPARENTLY CHALLENGES IS GOING TO LET HER KNOW EXACTLY WHAT SHE NEEDS TO THE OPTIONS THAT SHE SHOULD HAVE. BUT WALLER SAYS SHE BELIEVES NO MATTER WHAT WOMEN SHOULD STILL HAVE THE OPTION TO DO WHAT’S BEST FOR THEM. SO I STILL WANT HER. OTHER STATES HAVE PROPOSED ABORTION BANS AFTER 12 OR 15 WEEKS. AGAIN, ALBRIGHT’S BILL DRAWS THE LINE AT SIX. THE PROPOSAL MAKES CLEAR WOMEN WHO UNDERGO AN ABORTION BEYOND SIX WEEKS WOULD NOT BE LIABLE FOR A VIOLATION UNDER THE LAW. AND IT OUTLINES PROTECTION
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'That's when I got the worst feeling': Omaha woman shares personal story of abortion
Proposals to increase abortion restrictions in Nebraska send the legislature into gridlock.With tempers running short, opponents extended debate even though they likely lack the votes to stop the legislation from moving forward.They'll resume their attempt again in the morning to derail LB626, the bill is called the 'Nebraska Heartbeat Act'.It would ban almost all abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, the stage when an ultrasound can detect a fetal heartbeat.Doctors who violated the measure would lose their license to practice.There are exceptions in cases of sexual assault, or a medical emergency Thursday night, KETV framed the debate through the eyes of a woman sharing her personal story of life and loss.Abby Waller underwent an abortion two years ago when she was 15 weeks pregnant.She says she made the decision when doctors told her the baby would not survive.It's an option she feared she would not have had under the Nebraska Heartbeat Act.Pregnancy can be the happiest time in some people's lives.And it was for Abby Waller. "We were really super excited, we were going to have a second baby," Waller said.A second baby, at age 37. So, she had genetic testing done. "She was diagnosed with Trisomy 21, so Down syndrome," Waller said. But Waller said that was OK and they had more testing done.That's when things took a turn. "That's when I got the worst feeling, the worst gut feeling the worst gut punch I've ever had. I was told my baby wasn't going to survive," Waller said. Waller says her baby's brain was not developed correctly, and she had a heart condition. "She would have been intubated, she would have been poked and prodded and she would have not had a good quality of life, even right out of the gate," Waller said. At 15 weeks, she had an abortion in Omaha in March 2020.Now, she protests bills limiting abortions and is against LB626.State Sen. Joni Albrecht is the one who introduced the bill, the Nebraska Heartbeat Act.That would ban abortions around six weeks.Exceptions include cases of rape, incest, and saving the life of the mother. KETV asked Albrecht if her bill would impact abortions in situations similar to Waller's. "Fetal anomalies can happen at any time with whatever your doctor should say to you. But again, that's a decision between you and your doctor. That would have nothing to do, I don't believe, with the bill that's being presented," Albrecht said.Albrecht says she doesn't believe her bill would have anything to do with situations like Waller's because her bill says if the baby has a heartbeat, you can't have an elective abortion. "This is a decision that she's going to sit down and have with the doctors. And her perinatologist are going to let her know exactly what she needs to do. The options that she should have," Albrecht said.But Waller says she believes no matter what, women should still have the option to do what's best for them. "I still want her," Waller said. Other states have proposed abortion bans after 12 or 15 weeks. Again, Albrecht's bill draws the line at six.The proposal makes clear women who undergo an abortion beyond six weeks would not be liable for a violation under the law. And it outlines protections for what happens after a miscarriage.Top headlines:Nebraska state senators claim Legislature process not followed on heartbeat bill Omaha law enforcement testifies concerns over permitless concealed carry bill Nebraska hospital groups: Gov. Pillen's budget proposal 'ignores the crisis'

Proposals to increase abortion restrictions in Nebraska send the legislature into gridlock.

With tempers running short, opponents extended debate even though they likely lack the votes to stop the legislation from moving forward.

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They'll resume their attempt again in the morning to derail LB626, the bill is called the 'Nebraska Heartbeat Act'.

It would ban almost all abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, the stage when an ultrasound can detect a fetal heartbeat.

Doctors who violated the measure would lose their license to practice.

There are exceptions in cases of sexual assault, or a medical emergency

Thursday night, KETV framed the debate through the eyes of a woman sharing her personal story of life and loss.

Abby Waller underwent an abortion two years ago when she was 15 weeks pregnant.

She says she made the decision when doctors told her the baby would not survive.

It's an option she feared she would not have had under the Nebraska Heartbeat Act.

Pregnancy can be the happiest time in some people's lives.

And it was for Abby Waller.

"We were really super excited, we were going to have a second baby," Waller said.

A second baby, at age 37. So, she had genetic testing done.

"She was diagnosed with Trisomy 21, so Down syndrome," Waller said.

But Waller said that was OK and they had more testing done.

That's when things took a turn.

"That's when I got the worst feeling, the worst gut feeling the worst gut punch I've ever had. I was told my baby wasn't going to survive," Waller said.

Waller says her baby's brain was not developed correctly, and she had a heart condition.

"She would have been intubated, she would have been poked and prodded and she would have not had a good quality of life, even right out of the gate," Waller said.

At 15 weeks, she had an abortion in Omaha in March 2020.

Now, she protests bills limiting abortions and is against LB626.

State Sen. Joni Albrecht is the one who introduced the bill, the Nebraska Heartbeat Act.

That would ban abortions around six weeks.

Exceptions include cases of rape, incest, and saving the life of the mother.

KETV asked Albrecht if her bill would impact abortions in situations similar to Waller's.

"Fetal anomalies can happen at any time with whatever your doctor should say to you. But again, that's a decision between you and your doctor. That would have nothing to do, I don't believe, with the bill that's being presented," Albrecht said.

Albrecht says she doesn't believe her bill would have anything to do with situations like Waller's because her bill says if the baby has a heartbeat, you can't have an elective abortion.

"This is a decision that she's going to sit down and have with the doctors. And her perinatologist are going to let her know exactly what she needs to do. The options that she should have," Albrecht said.

But Waller says she believes no matter what, women should still have the option to do what's best for them.

"I still want her," Waller said.

Other states have proposed abortion bans after 12 or 15 weeks.

Again, Albrecht's bill draws the line at six.

The proposal makes clear women who undergo an abortion beyond six weeks would not be liable for a violation under the law. And it outlines protections for what happens after a miscarriage.

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