In 1977, Melissa Ohden almost lost her life to a failed abortion attempt.  

As Students for Life of America (SFLA) features ALMOST ABORTED stories, which include pressured to abortion, could’ve been aborted, or almost aborted stories, Melissa is one of the rare stories in which she was aborted but miraculously survived. As a part of ALMOST ABORTED’s six-figure national messaging campaign, Ohden shares her story as one among many, including Faith, Rebecca, Josiah, Angela, Lily, Hope, Mia, Micaella, Tina, Karen, and Rose.  

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Ogden’s biological mother was a college student and had an abortion forced on her, against her will, by her mother. The abortionists injected a toxic salt solution into the amniotic fluid that surrounded Ohden in the womb. That salt solution was intended to poison and scald Ohden to death. But it didn’t work, and instead, she was born alive.

HEAR MELISSA’s STORY 

“I soaked in that toxic salt solution for five days,” Ohden told SFLA. “On that fifth day, my birth mother was induced, and I was meant to be delivered dead, but to the abortionist’s surprise, I came out alive.”  

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For 14 years, Ohden didn’t know the origins of her birth until one day, her adoptive parents told her. When she went searching for answers, she was in for a bigger surprise and blessings.  

“It was devastating, but I knew I wanted to find my biological mother and father for more answers,” explained Ohden. “When I finally found my biological mother, I learned she was told that I had died that day at the hospital. She had no idea I was born alive; she didn’t even know if it was a little boy or girl.”  

Though abortion was meant to rip her family apart, it brought them together through God’s restoration and redemption. Ohden shares her story not just for its miraculous ending but to prove that abortion destroys families, but it doesn’t have to. Men and women can be empowered to choose life and embrace joy instead of the alternative, the regret and pain of abortion. 

To hear more stories of those walking among us who were Almost Aborted, visit Almost Aborted | Pressured but not Persuaded. 

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