Distillations | Science History Institute

In 1970 Jane Hodgson became the only person in the United States ever convicted for performing an abortion in a hospital.

A patient came to her St. Paul, Minnesota OB/GYN practice seeking an abortion. She had two kids, was pregnant with her third, and had rubella. 

Minnesota's abortion law was one of the strictest in the country, but Jane Hodgson broke it. Then she called her local DA and turned herself in.

This is a bonus episode exploring one part of the story from our last episode: Roe v. Wade v. Rubella.

Special thanks to Physicians for Reproductive Health for giving us permission to use the 2000 oral history interview with Jane Hodgson.