Melissa Ohden was supposed to die.
It was a dismal day on Aug. 24, 1977. A 19-year-old college student went to a Sioux City, Iowa, hospital for an abortion. The unmarried woman was a taboo. She was forced into the option by family members.
The unwanted baby was Ohden. It didn’t matter that Ohden had eyelids. Or that she could suck her thumb. At less than five months, Ohden wasn’t going to be given a chance to live.
Her mother underwent a saline infusion abortion.
The toxic salt solution was injected into the amniotic sac. The poison was meant to scald the fetus to death.
But, somehow, Ohden survived. She was delivered at just 2 pounds and 14 ounces.
“I am one of the few people that can say they survived an abortion,” Ohden said.
Ohden will be sharing her amazing life journey at the Pregnancy Care Center of Plant City’s annual banquet, Nov. 12, at Plant City’s First Baptist Church. The banquet, themed “Chosen by God,” will begin at 6 p.m.
“There will be a couple of bombshells that I will drop that night,” Ohden said. “Some of the story has unfolded in recent weeks.”
Ohden hopes her story will help society think differently about abortions and that more health care centers will educate mothers about their decisions.
“Ultrasounds are incredibly important at the Pregnancy Care Center, because a lot of times, women don’t know how far along they are,” Ohden said. “It would allow some to see what my birth mother didn’t.”
Although Ohden miraculously survived the abortion, she was given a poor prognosis. She was thought to have liver and respiratory problems the rest of her life. Ohden spent three months in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Yet another miracle, she made a full recovery, with no disabilities. When she went home, it wasn’t to her birth parents. She was adopted.
It wasn’t until her teenage years that Ohden found out the horrifying truth about her past. She always knew she was adopted. But, she had no idea she was almost aborted.
“It was absolutely devastating,” Ohden said. “I didn’t know things like that could happen. Especially in my life.”
Since then, Ohden has made it her life’s goal to be an advocate. She obtained a master’s degree in social work, working in the fields of substance abuse, mental health, child welfare and domestic violence/sexual assault.
But, she gave up her career to travel around the United States to share her story. The holiday season typically is her busiest time of the year. In October alone, she spoke at 12 different events.
Ohden was formerly a college outreach speaker with Feminists for Life, former patron of Real Choices Australia and founded The Abortion Survivors Network.
She also founded another organization near to heart, For Olivia’s Sake. Olivia is her first child, born in 2008. Olivia would never have existed if Ohden’s birthmother’s abortion would have succeeded in ending Ohden’s life. The organization seeks to raise awareness of the intergenerational impact of abortion on men, women, children, families and communities.
Throughout all her activism, Ohden has been on the rigorous search for her birth parents. Recently, she has made contact with both. But the road to healing is long.
“I want other families to live different lives than my family,” Ohden said. “There are many families that have been affected by abortion. It’s OK to talk about it. It’s OK to go to the Pregnancy Care Center.”
Contact Amber Jurgensen at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com.
IF YOU GO
CHOSEN BY GOD
WHEN: 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12
WHERE: Plant City’s First Baptist Church, 503 N. Palmer St., Plant City
PHONE: (813) 759-0886
DIAPER DRIVE
The first project for the Girls Auxillary Life Support, a Diaper Drive for the Pregnancy Care Center of Plant City, will take place from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 9, at the center, 304 N. Collins St.