Miscarriage spared Sen. Kerry’s wife from having abortion

Washington D.C., May 6, 2004 / 22:00 pm

Sen. John Kerry’s second wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, nearly had an abortion 30 years ago on a doctor's recommendation, but says she was spared from making the decision and following through on it because she had a miscarriage.

The 65-year-old Heinz Kerry recounts this story in an interview with Barbara Walters, which will be broadcast this evening on "20/20" on ABC.

During her fourth pregnancy in her first marriage, Heinz Kerry said she had been taking heavy cortisone medication and did not realize she was pregnant.

According to Heinz Kerry, the doctor, upon hearing she was pregnant and taking cortisone, said: “Well then if you're pregnant, you have to abort that baby.”

“I was very upset,” she says during the interview. “I didn't want to have an abortion, but they gave me 15 days because it was early and the night before I was due to go in, I miscarried it. So God was very kind," she adds.

Despite this, the wife of the Democratic presidential candidate describes herself as "pro-choice" and says she supports abortion rights "because I'd like to have that choice myself.

"I presume that most women will look at a choice like that as a terrible choice,” she adds. “But they should be given the chance to make it as I was."

Heinz Kerry has three sons by her late husband, Sen. John Heinz of Pennsylvania. Sen. Kerry has two daughters from a previous marriage.