Two mothers, two views: As abortion protests continue nationwide, women on opposing sides find common ground

close

Video

Two mothers, two views: As abortion protests continue nationwide, women on opposing sides find common ground

NEW YORK CITY – Two mothers on opposite ends of the abortion debate found common ground and identified items that unify them.

Melissa Manion believes abortion should never be an option, while Nadia Hussain feels there should be no restrictions on a woman's ability to choose.

"We don’t have to agree 100% on everything," Hussain, who's seven months pregnant with her third child, told Fox News. "That’s why I do think it’s important to see where are the commonalities, where are the points where we can make a difference."

"We want less abortions," Hussain continued. But "our understanding of how that's going to happen is different."

TWO WOMEN, TWO VIEWS: HOW THESE WOMEN BECAME OPPOSING ADVOCATES ON ABORTION

Melissa, who's pro-life, and Nadia, a pro-choice supporter, discuss what they agree on within the abortion debate. (Fox News Digital)

Manion, a mother of four, said she wants women "to feel empowered and equipped and supported to be able to make a life giving choice. Where we diverge a little bit is what that looks like for us."

Hussain said she supports abortion because she wants women to have options, particularly given what she considers a lack of support for mothers and high maternal mortality rates in the U.S. Manion agreed that both issues need improvement.

The women occasionally nodded along and smiled as the other spoke. Yet since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last week, protests have frequently turned into shouting matches between opposing sides – and have sometimes become violent or destructive.

"In the end, there are places where we can meet and we can agree on," Hussain, of New Jersey, told Fox News. "We don’t want to see women dying just because they’re giving birth or getting birth injuries that last a lifetime."

WHY THE SUPREME COURT DECISION EMPOWERS WOMEN

Abortion protesters gather outside the Supreme Court after the justices overturned Roe v. Wade. ((AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana))

Manion added: "The mortality rate, especially in the Black community, I think is repulsive.

The U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rate among wealthy nations, according to UNICEF. And Black women in 2020 were three times more likely to die during childbirth than White women, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. 

"I think that we both want for women to have access to care, to have the provisions that would be needed, the supports that would be needed, in order to uplift them," Manion said.

TWO MOTHERS, TWO VIEWS: THE FIGHT OVER ROE V. WADE

At 23, Manion had an abortion 48 hours after deciding she wanted to end her pregnancy – a choice she said she's regretted for decades. She told Fox News her provider didn't give her information about the procedure or what other options were available, nor was she offered counseling afterward.

A man holds a sign outside the Supreme Court telling protesters not to hate each other. (Photo by Joshua Comins/Fox News)

The "emotional and mental ramifications from the abortion are lifelong," the Connecticut woman previously told Fox News.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Hussain said she never wants women to struggle from a lack of support in their maternal care. 

"We don’t want to see anybody put into a place where they have to contend with an unplanned pregnancy, however they got there," she said. "We definitely should have childcare or think about how can we support moms doing that."

Manion said women need "to feel supported, for their children to feel supported, for their children to be cared for in ways that make sense for your family."