Profound stories of third-trimester abortion care, told by an ob-gyn hailed as “a hero of the abortion field” (Diana Greene Foster, author of The Turnaway Study)
A compassionate perspective on late-term abortion that challenges preconceived notions of who gets abortions and why
Within both the anti-abortion and pro-choice movements, third-trimester abortion is often stigmatized and misunderstood. For 20 years, Dr. Shelley Sella saw patients whose diverse backgrounds and circumstances led them to the same difficult decision: to end their pregnancies.
Now, interweaving her own journey as a provider, Dr. Sella invites readers into a typical week at her clinic to demystify the experience. She shares the stories of people like
- Clarissa, a mother of 2 whose third suffered a massive stroke in utero with no chance of recovery
- Mary, a devoted Catholic whose fourth round of IVF offered a late-in-life chance at motherhood, only to be dashed by anomalous test results
- Laura, a mother to 4 already whose bruised arms tell a painful story, one she couldn’t bring herself to write a fifth child into
Beyond Limits is not just a testament to a standard of care grounded in competence, compassion, and sensitivity. It is also a call for a paradigm shift that moves beyond Dobbs, beyond Roe, beyond limits to provide care. And it is a tribute to the real people whose hearts, reasons, and stories are more complex than politicized conversations about abortion lead us to believe.
Foreword
Author’s Note
Introduction
PART ONE
CHAPTER 1
Tuesday Morning, Fetal Indications
CHAPTER 2
New York: 1960s–1970s
CHAPTER 3
Tuesday Morning, Maternal Indications
CHAPTER 4
California: 1970s–2000s
CHAPTER 5
Tuesday Afternoon
CHAPTER 6
Kansas: 2000s
CHAPTER 7
Wednesday
CHAPTER 8
The Death of Dr. George R. Tiller: May 31, 2009
CHAPTER 9
Thursday
CHAPTER 10
New Mexico: 2000s
CHAPTER 11
Friday
CHAPTER 12
Beyond Friday
PART TWO
CHAPTER 13
Fetal Indications
CHAPTER 14
Maternal Indications
CHAPTER 15
Adoption and Safe Haven Laws
CHAPTER 16
Endings
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
Notes