The aura of shame surrounding unwanted pregnancies and abortion before Roe v. Wade kept most women from ever admitting that they had had illegal abortions - an experience which many had faced, but about which few ever spoke. Because of this fear and ignorance, many women died.
Women speak frankly about their own experiences, some for the first time.
Doctors and health care workers describe the challenges they faced trying to save women suffering from botched abortions. Friends and family members share their personal remembrances. This poignant oral history, which weaves together the untold stories of women caught in difficult circumstances and those who tried to help them, reveals the brutal tragedies, as well as the courage and heroism, of a shrouded time.