When I flew to Maryland to report the story, I was nine weeks pregnant myself. I felt nervous about it on two levels: Pregnancy had turned me into a sleepy, nauseated housecat; I feared I might vomit or faint and become a patient myself. But I also worried that my wanted pregnancy might make me feel distant from the patients whose experiences I hoped to understand.

But my pregnancy only made me feel closer to the patients I met. Ayana and Scarlet, two mothers who feature prominently in my cover story for the June issue, both chose abortion because they felt it was best for the kids they already had. As the mom of a 5-year-old, I related to the deep love for their children that motivated Ayana and Scarlet, even as my own body reminded me of the profound toll pregnancy demands. At Partners, I found a deep reverence for the seriousness of parenthood among the patients and the staff. I came to understand—as I hope you will when reading the piece—that the “viability” of a pregnancy relies not on how advanced it may be, but on whether the person carrying that pregnancy has decided that it’s viable.

-Amy Littlefield

Abortion Access Correspondent, The Nation

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