Democrats highlight abortion stories at convention. Can they make an impact?

When U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris officially accepted the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday night, she emphasized a significant issue that dominated the party's convention this week: the harsh reality faced by millions of women who lack access to abortion.

Throughout the convention, attendees at Chicago's United Center and viewers at home heard powerful testimonies from women who had to grapple with carrying their rapist's child to term, nearly dying from a miscarriage after being denied medical care, and facing the possibility of losing their ability to have children after making a choice about their pregnancies.

Harris shared that she has heard similar accounts from women, as well as from their husbands and fathers, across the country since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade two years ago. This ruling led to abortion bans and restrictions in more than half of all U.S. states. Harris also warned that Donald Trump and the Republican Party are not finished with their efforts.

"This is what's happening in our country," Harris said on Thursday. "And understand: he's not done."

Abortion access had already been slated as a key election issue even before Harris, a staunch advocate for reproductive rights and women's health, replaced U.S. President Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee.

However, Democrats are banking on the issue gaining even more attention under Harris, who, according to an early August Ipsos poll, leads Trump by 27 points among voters on the topic of abortion. They are also hoping that this wide margin will help overcome the leads Trump holds over Harris on issues like the economy and immigration.

In November, nine states will have ballot measures asking voters whether they want to protect access to abortion. Some of these states have enacted new laws since the overturning of Roe v. Wade that restrict access during the earliest stages of pregnancy. These laws would be nullified if voters approve the measures.

The complex legal landscape created by returning the abortion issue to the states, which Trump has called a "beautiful thing," set the stage for women to share their stories at the convention this week.

On Monday, Kentucky activist Hadley Duvall recounted how she became pregnant at age 12 after being raped by her stepfather. She was able to have an abortion at the time, but Kentucky has since passed an abortion ban that does not include exceptions for rape or incest.

"I can't imagine not having a choice," Duvall, now in her early 20s, said, attributing the current situation to Trump for appointing the Supreme Court justices who solidified the conservative majority.

"He calls it 'a beautiful thing.' What is so beautiful about a child having to carry her parent's child?"

The audience on Monday also heard from Amanda Zurawski, who shared her experience of being denied an abortion in Texas after her water broke at 18 weeks, and Kaitlyn Joshua, who spoke about being denied miscarriage care in Louisiana. All three women spoke against stark black backdrops.

Zurawski and Florida woman Anya Cook, who spoke on Thursday, appeared alongside their husbands, with Cook's husband holding their infant daughter — highlighting the impact of these health restrictions on families.

"Two years ago, a miscarriage nearly killed me," Cook said. "I needed care, but my state's abortion restrictions kept it from me. I miscarried in a bathroom.

"I'll never forget my husband's face as he tried to stop the bleeding — trying to do what doctors should have been doing."

There were also moments of hope. Kate Cox, a Texas mother who gained international attention after suing the state and then traveling to another state for abortion care that doctors said she needed to preserve her fertility, announced during Tuesday's celebratory roll-call for Harris that she is pregnant again.

"There's nothing pro-family about abortion bans," she said as she helped pledge Texas's delegates to Harris.

Advocates for women's reproductive and sexual health believe the stories shared at the convention can resonate beyond U.S. politics.

"Those stories are a window into understanding the humanity behind a topic that often is used to divide us," said Debbie Owusu-Akyeeah, co-director of policy and advocacy at Action Canada for Sexual Health & Rights.

Owusu-Akyeeah particularly praised Duvall for "being brave enough to go on stage and tell that story."

"There was just something about that bravery that I thought was super important and beautiful," she said.

Democratic lawmakers also shared their personal experiences of being able to choose when to start a family, or the challenges they faced with infertility treatments.

Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who became the first U.S. senator to give birth while in office in 2018, mentioned in her convention remarks that she was only able to conceive her daughters through in vitro fertilization (IVF).

During his speech accepting the vice-presidential nomination, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz reiterated his well-known story of how he and his wife needed fertility treatments to conceive their daughter Hope.

Democrats have cautioned that Republicans may attempt to ban access to IVF following a February Alabama Supreme Court decision that temporarily blocked the treatment, and noted that GOP lawmakers voted against an effort to enshrine access into law.

The current and former presidents of Planned Parenthood, Alexis McGill Johnson and Cecile Richards, respectively, spoke at the convention on Wednesday about the importance of voting to protect abortion access, as did Mini Timmaraju, CEO and president of Reproductive Freedom for All.

Oprah Winfrey also made a surprise appearance, addressing reproductive rights during her speech.

"If you do not have autonomy over this," she said, gesturing toward her body, "if you cannot control when and how you choose to bring your children into this world and how they are raised and supported, there is no American dream."

Democrats repeatedly cautioned that Trump would sign a national abortion ban into law "with or without Congress," a claim Trump has denied.

However, the Project 2025 policy document associated with his campaign and members of his previous administration suggests measures such as banning or limiting the availability of abortion medication, increasing data collection on abortions from states, and appointing an "unapologetically pro-life" coordinator for women's health initiatives in the U.S. government.

"Simply put, they are out of their minds," Harris said Thursday night, pledging to sign a bill that would restore abortion access nationwide.

"We trust women."

While the stories shared at the convention may influence votes in the U.S., Owusu-Akyeeah believes their impact will extend beyond America's borders.

"I hope this will be a reminder for many Canadians who are thinking about what this all means for us, and (understanding that) access is still not 100 percent guaranteed for everybody," she said.

"This is health care, and everyone should be able to access this and make decisions that impact their bodies, their health, and their future."