Woman forced to carry fatally ill baby to term breaks down in Congress hearing

Florida woman who was denied abortion and forced to carry baby to term who had no kidneys breaks down giving testimony to House

A Florida woman who was unable to get an abortion in her state – and carried to term a baby who had no kidneys – battled tears as she spoke at a Democratic committee hearing on reproductive freedom.

Deborah Dorbert was asked by House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries if she wanted to share a message for the people of Florida after her “profound, poignant and powerful” testimony.

“I don’t know,” Ms Dorbert said after a long pause, wiping tears from her face.

Ms Dorbert’s son, Milo, died in her arms on 3 March last year shortly after he was born, just as her doctors had predicted he would.

She was made aware of complications to her pregnancy at 24 weeks. By that time, it was too late to terminate the pregnancy in Florida.

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