Michelle Schmidt, director of client services at Problem Pregnancy Center, came to Oakland University to share her personal experience on abortion impacting her life.

Schmidt was a guest of Students for Life, a pro-life organization at Oakland University.

Statistics according to Alan Guttmacher Institute show that there are 1.1 million abortions every year.

Michelle’s Road to Pro-Life

At age 18, Schmidt made the decision to abort her baby. Initially, Schmidt had hoped her boyfriend, who was 19, would be okay with the idea of having a child.

“When I told him he looked like he was going to be sick,” Schmidt said. “I realized something in that moment, he didn’t love me as much as I thought he did. My pride once it was hurt turned to anger and rage.”

After coming to the realization her expectations weren’t going to be met Schmidt made the choice to go forward and get the abortion. She drove an hour away for the procedure to avoid anyone she knew spotting her.

“I expected there would be some kind of counseling when I got there and they’d go over risks, because I knew nothing other than what I heard,” Schmidt said.

After the abortion Schmidt developed Ashmeran’s Syndrome.

“Asherman’s Syndrome is something I developed as a side effect of my abortion,” Schmidt said. “It’s a scarring that’s caused by the knife used during the abortion. I had five surgeries over ten years to repair the damage done to my body at a cost of about $14,000.”

At age 22, Schmidt became pro-life and never looked back.

Throughout her career at Problem Pregnancy Center Schmidt has seen over 8,000 women from all types of backgrounds.

“My goal when girls come to our center is that she encounters a place that’s welcoming and comforting and that she feels we’re honoring her,” Schmidt said.

Throughout her years of working at the center she attempted to prepare herself for the day she worked with a client who experienced rape. The day it happened Schmidt still didn’t feel prepared until one defining moment.

“I asked her to describe the rape to me, I told her I’ve had an abortion, but I’ve never been raped,” Schmidt said. “She began to pour her heart out and when she finished going through her emotions she felt because of the rape, I knew what I was going to say. She just described how I felt after my abortion.”

Ultimately the girl chose to keep the baby.

“Every client that I’ve dealt with in that situation have all experienced great healing through having the baby,” Scmidt said.

Problem Pregnancy Center has a location in Southfield, Mich. It provides free ultrasounds, free pregnancy testing, counseling, referrals on where to get free medical care and resources to help with college.

“Most of the time the girls don’t take advantage of all the help we provide because they find they don’t need it,” Schmidt said.

The center receives very generous donations, and even have clothing sizes in stock high chairs and many other items.

Voices of Oakland University

Oakland University has Students for Life, the pro-life group and Voices for Choices, the pro-choice group.

Students for Life’s mission statement is to replay information about abortion and to provide women with resources they need to continue with pregnancy. The group meets biweekly on Wednesdays from 1:30-2:30 p.m. in room 130 of the Oakland Center.

“We want people to understand why abortion should be unthinkable,” Mirna Awrow, president of Students for Life said. “We think it’s important to get people to realize what it physically and emotionally does to women.”

Voices for Choices’ goal is to advocate for reproductive rights and strive to educate people about the choices they have and can make about their bodies. All meetings are held in the Oakland Center Tuesday at noon.

“We want to provide a safe place on campus where people can come and not be judged,” Aretha Frazier, president of Voices for Choices said. “We try to be very inclusive of everyone and talk to them about our choices. We want to support reproductive rights and make sure everyone is comfortable.”

Both groups can be contacted on Facebook.