The latest Duggar family controversy is a sad situation on multiple levels. The 19 Kids and Counting stars regularly draw attention for their extremist views and hypocritical behavior. They are one of the rare reality TV families with off-screen drama that far outpaces the curated clashes on their show. Jessa Duggar Seewald recently had a miscarriage. That alone is a tragedy. But her framing of the situation may not have been above-board, and her family’s anti-abortion advocacy likely explains why.
The Duggars are staunch anti-abortion advocates in Arkansas
The Duggars are unabashed anti-abortion advocates. Jessa Duggar Seewald, in particular, is relentless on this topic. She — along with her husband Ben — has made many comments in support of pro-life causes and isn’t shy about sharing her beliefs on the subject.
But they aren’t simply people broadcasting their beliefs on a controversial topic. The Duggars became directly involved in Arkansas politics to boost anti-abortion lawmakers there. They were key figures in the passage of a near-total abortion ban in that state and have long lobbied for similar laws in Tennessee.
In a video titled “Heartbreak Over the Holidays,” posted on her YouTube channel on February 24, Jessa Duggar Seewald confronted the topic in an incredibly personal and tragic way. The 30-year-old reality star announced she’d had a miscarriage during the holiday season.
She felt crushed and explained the experience was the reason she planned to take an extended break from social media.
Jessa Seewald had a life-saving procedure she avoids calling an abortion
Seewald described her miscarriage as a surprise. She experienced minor spotting and got an ultrasound. To her shock, doctors said the fetus did not “look good.” Then they gave her a choice: Risk her health by waiting for the fetus to pass at home, or play it safe with a dilation and curettage (D&C) procedure.
Seewald chose the D&C, which clears the tissue following a miscarriage or abortion.
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“Because the procedures for miscarriage care after pregnancy loss (like a D&C) … are the same as those for abortion care, clarification on how those procedures are used is critical to avoid putting both providers and patients at risk of committing a crime,” Motherly reports.
“Now, the question of is a D&C an abortion may depend on if fetal heart tones are present before the procedure is performed. If they are, in some states, a D&C could be considered an abortion in that it results in the termination of pregnancy. That ultimately means that whether a D&C is an abortion may now depend on where you live.”
It also raises questions about the abortion bans the Duggars push for and whether they see themselves as exceptions to their restrictive standards.
Would Jessa Seewald’s procedure be illegal under the laws her family advocates for?
Under the new laws, dead fetuses can be legally aborted. But fetuses with heartbeats cannot. Seewald did not reveal whether she had her procedure outside of the state due to that restriction. She might have had a procedure that the Duggar family directly advocates to ban for others.
Abortion advocates have long pointed out the issues with these laws. They do not consider the mother’s suffering or the fetus’ prospects of surviving outside of the womb. They can force pregnant people into dangerous and even fatal medical emergencies.
Arkansas allows for qualified exemptions to save the mother’s life. However, Seewald’s YouTube video mentions she had the option to wait for the fetus to “pass” but instead chose the D&C. That is a choice many women in states like Arkansans are unable to make.
However, the Duggar and Seewald families do not think highly of critics who point out the contradictions between their beliefs and Jessa’s procedure. Jessa’s husband, Ben Seewald, claims anyone calling her D&C an abortion is “slandering” his wife. Clearly, it’s a matter of public perception to Jessa and Ben. They aren’t likely to change their views after their harrowing personal experience.
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