This personal experience was originally shared with Doctors for Choice Malta. This was during the parliamentary discussions of Bill 28 in November and December 2022. If the legal amendment is enacted, it will allow abortion when the pregnant person's life or health is in grave danger. This will mean that the healthcare professionals involved and the pregnant person herself will not be subjected to criminal sanctions in such scenarios.
The story below is being published on Break the Taboo Malta with the author's consent.
"I have epilepsy and endometriosis. My epilepsy is genetic. I spoke with the doctors and they told me that it's a minimum risk that if I get pregnant the baby may develop epilepsy as well.
Because there exists a minimum risk of genetically passing this on, I decided to not get pregnant, since in my childhood I was put in a corner away from others kids. I often heard them saying, "We don't play with her because she will fall to the ground, trembling and has saliva coming out from her mouth."
I met adults who didn't know what epilepsy is and I saw how scared or shocked they were when I explained how an epilepsy seizure manifests itself. I don't want to bring another human being on earth and make him/her suffer because people don't know how to accept someone with epilepsy. I changed my place of work because I had an epileptic seizure and after that I was treated different, because of my seizure.
If I will get pregnant I will feel sorry but I will do an abortion."