WASHINGTON — A fresh series of campaign advertisements featuring Kamala Harris aims to shed light on the deteriorating medical care for women since the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade. These ads showcase the experience of a Texas woman, known as Ondrea, who suffered from a life-threatening infection after a miscarriage due to inadequate medical attention and who may now face infertility challenges.
In one of the ads, Ondrea expresses her initial joy about expecting a daughter, only to be devastated when she learned that her baby would not survive after premature rupture of her amniotic sac. After being denied an abortion, she eventually went into labor, recounting that, “Immediately after her birth, I was in the worst pain of my life,” as she’s shown alongside her husband in their living room, near a framed ultrasound picture of their baby. Following the delivery, she developed sepsis, a serious complication often associated with pregnancy.
This advertisement is part of a strategic final effort by the Democratic candidate to showcase the escalating instability surrounding medical care for pregnant women—especially those who aren’t seeking to terminate their pregnancies—after the Supreme Court’s decision was influenced by three justices appointed by former President Donald Trump. Ondrea holds Trump accountable for her traumatic experience, stating, “It almost cost me my life, and it will affect me for the rest of my life” in the advertisement.
In another advertisement focusing on men, Ondrea’s husband, Cesar, shares his longing for a traditional family experience, saying, “Baby crying at night? Like, I would love to hear that every night. And now we may never ever get to be pregnant again.” He adds, “There are rights and freedoms that we had for generations and they just got ripped away.”
Harris plans to campaign on reproductive healthcare issues in Texas, a consistently Republican state that has enacted one of the strictest abortion laws in the country. Women in this region have voiced their frustrations regarding the dangerously inadequate medical care available to them.
Initially, after the overturning of Roe, Democratic efforts concentrated on highlighting the restrictions placed on abortion access for unwanted pregnancies. However, it has since become clear that the same medical procedures used for abortions are vital for treating miscarriages. In 14 states with stringent abortion restrictions, women are often denied critical medical care until their conditions become life-threatening. In some areas, providing necessary medical interventions can expose doctors to criminal repercussions.
Democrats caution that the erosion of reproductive rights may persist if Trump secures another term. Across various states, Republican lawmakers have consistently blocked Democratic initiatives aimed at safeguarding or enhancing access to contraceptives.
The Democratic Party hopes this issue will drive voter turnout in a tightly contested presidential race and assist in propelling Harris toward the presidency. A recent poll indicates that approximately 60% of Americans believe their state should permit legal abortion access for any reason if someone does not wish to continue a pregnancy.
In the past two years, voters in seven states, even in some traditionally conservative regions, have either bolstered abortion rights or successfully rejected measures to restrict them through statewide ballots.
Trump has shown inconsistency in his messaging about abortion and reproductive rights, often altering his viewpoints or delivering vague and contradictory statements—an area that has become a significant weakness for the Republican party in the upcoming election.
In an additional advertisement that will be aired on CNN before a televised town hall with Harris, Ondrea is shown looking at the substantial scar on her abdomen in front of her bathroom mirror. The ad includes images of her in a hospital bed where she had undergone surgical intervention after a miscarriage at 16 weeks in 2022.
As a Black woman, Ondrea is part of a demographic that is disproportionately affected by pre-term labor and other pregnancy complications, facing a higher risk of maternal mortality amidst a growing crisis in the United States.
The ad also cleverly incorporates soundbites from Trump discussing abortion, including him claiming, “First of all, I am the one that got rid of Roe v. Wade.” Later, when asked if he believes in punishment for abortion, Trump responds affirmatively, “There has to be some punishment.”
As viewers learn about Ondrea’s potential inability to conceive again, they hear Trump remark, “Women will be happy, confident, and free. You will no longer be thinking about abortion,” contrasting starkly with the personal narrative being shared.