Retired Ob-Gyn Dr. Kathi Aultman (Screenshot)

(CNSNews.com) - Retired Ob-Gyn Dr. Kathi Aultman told pro-life attendees of the 46th annual March for Life on Friday what led her to change her views on abortion which led her to quit performing abortions and become pro-life.



“I used to do abortions, but by God’s grace, I am now pro-life. I used to feel that abortion was a woman’s right,” she said.





“Medical students and residents are taught that abortion is a normal part of women’s health care. The pro-life view is discouraged. It’s difficult for pro-life students to get into medical schools and residencies, especially OBGYN. Professors can lose their positions if they express pro-life opinions,” Aultman said.



She said the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), which “should be the most pro-life are staunchly pro-abortion.”

“All Ob-Gyn residents are required to do abortions unless they opt-out because of conscience, but that’s discouraged, and we need to protect those conscience rights,” Aultman said.



“I became a doctor to help people, and I was concerned about my patient - the mother - when doing an abortion, but I never even considered what the baby was experiencing. If it was wanted, it was a baby. If it wasn’t, it was a fetus,” she said.



“The only time I had any qualms about doing abortions was during my neonatal rotation where I was trying to save babies the same gestational age as those I was aborting,” Aultman said.



Her attitude on abortion started to change after she had her daughter.



“After the birth of my daughter, however, I finally made the connection between fetus and baby and could no longer do abortions. The fact that the baby was unwanted, was no longer reason enough for me to kill it,” Aultman said.



That wasn’t enough though for her to stop giving women referrals for abortion.



“Unfortunately, I still felt that abortion was a woman’s right, and I continued to refer for abortion. I believed the lie that if a young girl had a baby out of wedlock, it would ruin her life. That view changed as I noticed that those who kept their babies did well, in contrast to those who were dealing with the physical and psychological consequences of abortion,” Aultman said.



“My perspective was challenged as I watched children in my church who were almost aborted grow up. Ultimately, caring friends gave me information that brought me to a pro-life position. Language is important. It’s much easier to accept terminating a pregnancy than it is to killing a baby,” she said.



“A pregnancy is not a person. It’s the medical condition of the mother. Help people see that what’s in the womb is a person with their own unique characteristics and potential, not just a blob of tissue,” Aultman said.



“A woman cannot kill her child and remain unscathed. There are millions of women in the United States who have had abortions. Some of you are here. They’re hurting and need your help and compassion. They need to know that God wants to heal and restore them. Thank you for protecting those who cannot protect themselves, those who wouldn’t have a chance to live if you did nothing,” she concluded.