Amy-Clare had an abortion. Queensland’s current debate around the issue makes her feel like a criminal

‘Walking around pregnant, knowing you’re expecting a miscarriage at any point, would have been traumatic,’ says Amy-Clare, who had been told her baby had a serious genetic condition and was unlikely to survive until birth. Photograph: Rhett Hammerton/The Guardian

When Brisbane mother Amy-Clare learned she was pregnant a second time, she almost opted not to undertake prenatal genetic testing. “We were really happy – we really wanted that baby,” she recalls.

Because she already had a healthy first child, Amy-Clare was inclined to believe things would go smoothly the second time. But for peace of mind, her partner talked her into getting the expensive test, which screens for chromosomal disorders early in pregnancy.