A Voice for Choice

Article originally appeared in Chronogram on January 1st, 2021

"Before, I didn't understand how people could overlook their pregnancy," she says. "It seemed ridiculous to me that you could be pregnant and have no idea; I thought all pregnancies looked the same, felt the same, and were instantly recognizable." Even so, Chalifoux had no doubt about the right course of action for herself. "I had just started taking antidepressants for the first time—and they were helping," she explains. "I'd drank a fair amount during my first trimester, before I knew I was pregnant. Alcohol and psychiatric medication are notably bad for fetal development. I'd also been losing weight during my pregnancy, which didn't bode well. Most importantly though, I didn't want to be pregnant. I needed partial hospitalization for my mental illness; the thought of carrying a pregnancy to term and then giving birth [gave me panic attacks]. I knew I wanted to have an abortion."