Why we Exist
Where there is abortion, there are survivors.
Abortion survivors may also be described as infants born alive following an abortion attempt.
At The Abortion Survivors Network, we use survivor-centered language to recognize the lifelong experiences of individuals who survived abortion attempts and the families and communities affected by those experiences.
Where there is life, there is hope.
We are that hope.
The Abortion Survivors Network supports abortion survivors and the families, friends, and professionals affected by their experiences.
We share survivor stories, research, and educational resources to bring understanding to the realities of abortion survival and to humanize the lived experiences of those who survive.
We also advance survivor-centered policies and public understanding that recognize, protect, and serve abortion survivors and their communities.
Stories are Powerful
Amplifying the voices of abortion survivors
Until abortion survivors can find and use their voices, we will…
Break the silence surrounding abortion survival.
Until survivors are recognized, respected, and protected, we will…
Be a voice for abortion survivors and those vulnerable to abortion, including those born alive following an abortion attempt.
Until survivors and families have the support they need, we will…
Build community, share resources, and make sure no survivor, mother or family walks alone.
What we do
Support, resources, education, and advocacy for abortion survivors
The Abortion Survivors Network is a survivor-centered nonprofit serving abortion survivors and those impacted by abortion survival.
We support individuals who survived an abortion attempt, including those born alive following an abortion attempt, as well as mothers, fathers, families, friends, and professionals seeking information, community, and hope.
We support. We provide survivor-informed resources, referrals, community, and compassionate connection for survivors and families.
We share stories. We make room for survivors to tell their stories in their own words and help others understand the lived reality of abortion survival.
We equip. We help survivors find and use their voices, while equipping those who serve alongside them to respond with care and understanding.
We educate. We connect survivor experience with research, clear resources, and public education for families, professionals, media, and communities.
We advocate. We advance cultural understanding and survivor-centered policies that recognize, protect, and seek the best outcomes for abortion survivors and their families.
No survivor or family should have to walk alone.
Our Mission
The Abortion Survivors Network empowers the abortion survivor community and those impacted by unsuccessful abortions.
How We’re Different
Survivor-centered support, education, and advocacy
Conversations about abortion survivors, infants born alive following an abortion attempt, and unsuccessful abortion attempts too often occur without the insight of those who have lived these experiences.
The Abortion Survivors Network is different because we center survivors and the people whose lives are affected by abortion survival.
We listen to survivors, honor their stories, and connect lived experience with research, education, resources, referrals, and advocacy.
We understand that abortion survival does not affect a survivor alone. It can profoundly affect mothers, fathers, adoptive families, siblings, friends, and the professionals who walk alongside them.
We equip survivors to find and use their voices.
We provide information, resources, and referrals shaped by the distinct realities of abortion survival.
And we advocate for cultural understanding and survivor-centered policies that recognize, protect, and seek the best outcomes for abortion survivors, their families, and their communities.
This is why we exist.
We are a trusted survivor-led resource on abortion survival—here to listen, support, educate, and advocate.
Melissa Ohden
Our Founder
Research
Advocacy
Story-telling
You’ve got questions? We’ve got answers! We expose the reality of unsuccessful abortions and advocate for the needs of abortion survivors, mothers and families by rigorously analyzing research and data.
Don’t have a conversation about us without us. Or, as the advocacy saying goes, “Nothing about me without me.” Those impacted by unsuccessful abortions deserve a voice in conversations about abortion.
Don’t have a conversation about us without us. Or, as the advocacy saying goes, “Nothing about me without me.” Those impacted by unsuccessful abortions deserve a voice in conversations about abortion.
Our Team
Sarah Moe
Public Affairs Consultant
Thea Barry
Outreach Coordinator
Kara West
Social Worker
Melissa Ohden
Founder & CEO