How a pregnancy complication reshaped an Arkansas woman's view of abortion bans

By — Sarah Varney Sarah Varney By — Rachel Wellford Rachel Wellford Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-a-pregnancy-complication-reshaped-an-arkansas-womans-view-of-abortion-bans Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Transcript Audio A majority of Republicans continue to oppose abortion, but there’s been a shift in opinion among other Americans. More Democrats and independents now say abortion should be legal, and there are even conservatives questioning their own views in response to state bans. Special correspondent Sarah Varney brings us the story of one Arkansas woman whose own pregnancy changed how she sees abortion. Read the Full Transcript Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors. Amna Nawaz: Since Roe v. Wade was overturned, a majority of Republicans continue to oppose abortion. But there's been a shift in opinion among many Americans. More Democrats and independents now say abortion should be legal in all or most cases and find it morally acceptable than they did five years ago. And, in some cases, there are even conservatives questioning their own views in response to state bans. Special correspondent Sarah Varney brings us the story of one Arkansas woman whose own pregnancy changed how she sees abortion. So, I wanted three kids, but after going through everything that I went through and the laws the way they are, I don't want to get pregnant again. I would be scared. Once I get pregnant, my life stops mattering. Chelsea Stovall, Mother: I'm Chelsea Stovall, 35, live in Fayetteville, Arkansas. I'm the cook and chef at a day care, mom to two amazing kids. My son is 7, almost 8. He has the biggest personality. He is just wildly energetic. And then you know my daughter. She is almost 6 now. She's going to be a force to be reckoned with when she grows up. That's for sure. Sarah Varney: Chelsea Stovall was born in Kentucky. She was one of seven kids. And after kindergarten, her family moved almost every year. Chelsea Stovall: Growing up was -- it was loud. It was crazy. I mean, there was always something going on, always someone to play with. We could make our own hockey team. Sarah Varney: No matter where the family landed, Chelsea says they were at church every Sunday without fail. Chelsea Stovall: We were sort of evangelical Christian and we would be a part of vacation Bible school in the summer and did a lot of volunteering through church. It was very much a part of everyday life. That's really where my values came from. I mean, that's how I grew up. Abortion was something that I knew better than to talk about. It was not talked about, just a taboo subject. My family didn't talk about it. My friends' families didn't talk about it. It was not seen as health care. It was something bad. Sarah Varney: In 2018, Chelsea gave birth to her son. And then, two years later, her daughter with her then