texas

Wendy Davis Opens Up About Ending Pregnancies

Texas state Sen. Wendy Davis is opening up about her personal life as she releases a memoir less than two months prior to election day.

Davis, who is campaigning against attorney general Greg Abbott to replace Rick Perry as governor of Texas, revealed in the book that she terminated two pregnancies in the 1990s.

The first, she said, was not viable, because the embryo developed outside of the uterus.

The second was a decision made after finding out about a severe medical condition the fetus, whom she had already named Tate, had that caused the brain to develop in complete separation on the right and left sides.

Davis called it a devastating blow.

"A mother knows after four opinions from four doctors telling me the same devastating thing, that if she survived, it wouldn't be likely if she survived to term. If she did survive to term, she likely would not survive delivery. If she survived delivery, she would most certainly be in a tremendously difficult state, a vegetative state they referred to it," said Davis.

The revelation comes in the midst of a heated battle with Abbott, who is anti-abortion.

In response, Abbott released a statement, saying, "The unspeakable pain of losing a child is beyond tragic for any parent. As a father, I grieve for the Davis family and for the loss of life."

If the book affects the campaign remains to be seen.

Abbott is ahead by eight points in the latest Rasmussen poll.

Still, NBC 5 asked Davis about the timing of the release of the book.

"This is a personal story, and I wanted to share it with Texans and people around the country. It is my hope that someone will find something in it that is helpful to them," added Davis.

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