November 29, 1971: A Miserable, Lingering Death

SUMMARY: "Monica," age 31, died November 29, 1971 after an abortion performed in Massachusetts.

"Monica" is one of the women Life Dynamics identifies on their "Blackmun Wall" as having been killed by a safe and legal abortion.

According to LDI, Monica was a 31-year-old mother of five. She requested an abortion when she was 8 weeks pregnant, but the abortion was delayed about a month in order to address "some health, personal and administrative problems."

Her doctor decided that it was best to simply remove Monica's uterus with the fetus still in it. The hysterectomy was done on November 20, 1971 under general anesthesia with no apparent complications.

The following day, Monica had a mild fever and reported nausea. She had no bowel sounds, indicating possible bowel paralysis. She was treated with IV fluids and nasogastric suction.

Grok AI illustration

On November 22, Monica reported feeling unwell. Her abdomen was distended and she had not had a bowel movement since the surgery. An abdominal x-ray showed patterns of trapped gas that were consistent with bowel paralysis.

Over the next two days, Monica seemed to be feeling better. She was able to take in some food. However, she still had not had a bowel movement.

Six days after the surgery, November 26, 1971, Monica began to scream and vomit. She reported severe abdominal pain and couldn't see. Within an hour of the onset of these symptoms, Monica died.

The autopsy revealed grim findings. Monica had a severe infection that had interfered with her bowel function. As she continued to eat but not to have bowel movements, her bowels backed up, allowing gastric juices to enter her lungs and begin to digest them. She also had bacteria in her brain, which may have caused her blindness in the final hour of her life.

Watch Bowels Paralyzed After Abortion on YouTube.
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LDI Sources: "Committee on Maternal Welfare: Paralytic Ileus," Jewett, New England Journal of Medicine, 290:6, Feb. 7, 1974, 340-41; Massachusetts Department of Health, Database run on maternal deaths