The decision on Friday by the Supreme Court to end constitutional protections for abortion that have stood in America for nearly half a century is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states. Video / AP
A US woman, who just found out her unborn baby is "incompatible with life", has revealed doctors are no longer allowed to perform an abortion, forcing her to "stay pregnant" until the baby dies.
Chloe Partridge lives in the state of Arizona where under the territorial law, abortions are now banned unless medically necessary to save a mother's life.
This legislation was recently placed back into effect following the US Supreme Court's ruling to overturn Roe v Wade, a landmark decision that took away a woman's constitutional right to have an abortion.
In Chloe's case, while her pregnancy – currently about 26 weeks – is tragically doomed, it is not yet threatening her life, meaning doctors are unable to intervene.
This means her only options are either to have the expensive treatment performed in another state or to carry her ill-fated pregnancy to full term, which could cause life-threatening complications.
"I am currently 25 weeks pregnant with a baby girl. She is incompatible with life. I found out at 23 weeks that she wasn't going to make it," Chloe wrote on Instagram recently.
"I knew then what I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to terminate. My baby is suffering inside of me, having seizures multiple times a day. I feel every single one.
The Arizona woman has been refused an abortion despite her baby being 'incompatible with life'. Photo / Instagram@chloe___a
"I knew I didn't want her to suffer any longer. I let my doctor know of my choice and he said he would schedule an induction for me."
However, by the time her appointment came, the overturn of Roe v Wade had already occurred, cruelly snatching away Chloe's rights.
"I thought I would be OK. I thought the law wouldn't go into effect for a while. Sadly, that's not the case," she wrote.
"I now have no choice. My doctor called me today and told me I have to remain pregnant until this baby dies inside of me or dies when she's born.
"What kind of sick country do we live in where we force a mum to feel her baby suffer every single day until her baby dies?"
Chloe – who is already a mum-of-one – went on to described it as "not fair", adding she felt "completely lost, torn and confused".
Chloe Partridge opened up about her 'unimaginable' situation on social media. Photo / Instagram@chloe___a
After her post, which included two ultrasound photos of her unborn child, went viral, heartbroken Chloe created an online fundraiser to help cover her costs to travel outside of her state for the procedure.
"The price for the procedure is US$17,500 ($28,122) however, however I have had $8750 ($14060) covered by a fund," she explained on her GoFundMe page.
The page quickly earned US$20,000 ($32,140) in donations, prompting Chloe to disable any more payments and state the money she had been given by a fund to help would now go to "someone else in need of the same procedure".
Chloe's story has become a poignant example of how the ruling by the US Supreme Court will affect so many.
"I'm so sorry our system has failed you and your baby … my heart breaks for you … We won't stop fighting for our rights!" one woman wrote.
"You had been faced with an unimaginable decision, but at least it was YOURS to make, as it should have been and should always be. I grieve with you that this decision has been taken out of your hands," another added.
Another woman said: "I am so sorry Chloe. This is so unfair. Stay strong mama, I'm thinking of you."
Roe v Wade had been in place since 1973 and provided women and people with uteruses the right to access safe abortions up until foetal viability.
It is now up to each individual state to determine whether women can have legal abortions, but so far, 26 states are either "certain or likely" to ban the procedure, according to a research group's findings.
Eight states have already legislated to ban abortion in all circumstances, including rape and incest.
Abortions are still widely shrouded in shame and stigma with many falsely believing the medical procedure is mostly used as a "solution" for unwanted pregnancies – ignoring the fact it also an important part of healthcare for those who want to have a child, such as women in situations like Chloe's.
