| Barbara Riley, Therapeutic Abortion Death | |
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"Sheryl" is one of the women Life Dynamics identifies on their "Blackmun Wall" as having been killed by a safe and legal abortion. I found her story in the New York Times, along with her name: Barbara Riley. Barbara was 23 years old when she chose abortion. She had a history of sickle cell anemia and three previous term pregnancies -- two live births and a stillborn child. She was in her first trimester of pregnancy when she underwent the abortion on July 11, 1970 at Harlem Hospital. The abortion had been recommended by hospital staff because Barbara had a history of sickle cell disease. The abortion would probably have been recommended as beneficial to Barbara's health, under New York's old abortion law. But instead of improving, Barbara's health deteriorated. Her blood started to break down. Nine days after the abortion, July 20, Barbara died. The other women I've identified as dying from sickle cell crisis triggered by an abortion are Margaret Davis and Betty Hines.
LDI Sources: "Maternal Mortality Associated With Legal Abortion in New York State: July 1, 1970 - June 30, 1972,�± Berger, Tietze, Pakter, Katz, Obstetrics and Gynecology, 43:3, March 1974, 320; "Abortion Curbs Put Off by City", New York Times, July 22, 1970
