Dr. Martha Beck

Yeah. And I really believe the source of all my work, you know, I was getting my doctorate at Harvard. I'd gotten my bachelor's there. I'd been there since I was 17. And halfway through my doctorate, during that time, I'd gotten married, had a child. My second child was prenatally diagnosed with Down syndrome. And I was six months into the pregnancy almost. And I had like two weeks left.

Yeah. And I really believe the source of all my work, you know, I was getting my doctorate at Harvard. I'd gotten my bachelor's there. I'd been there since I was 17. And halfway through my doctorate, during that time, I'd gotten married, had a child. My second child was prenatally diagnosed with Down syndrome. And I was six months into the pregnancy almost. And I had like two weeks left.

Yeah. And I really believe the source of all my work, you know, I was getting my doctorate at Harvard. I'd gotten my bachelor's there. I'd been there since I was 17. And halfway through my doctorate, during that time, I'd gotten married, had a child. My second child was prenatally diagnosed with Down syndrome. And I was six months into the pregnancy almost. And I had like two weeks left.

to make a decision, and I'm politically very pro-choice, and I would, again, never judge anyone who made the other decision, but I couldn't do it. I was already sort of bonded to him. And I kept asking the question of myself, what makes a human life worth living?

to make a decision, and I'm politically very pro-choice, and I would, again, never judge anyone who made the other decision, but I couldn't do it. I was already sort of bonded to him. And I kept asking the question of myself, what makes a human life worth living?

to make a decision, and I'm politically very pro-choice, and I would, again, never judge anyone who made the other decision, but I couldn't do it. I was already sort of bonded to him. And I kept asking the question of myself, what makes a human life worth living?

Because the doctors at the Harvard Medical Clinic and all my advisors told me, you have got to, at the very least, institutionalize this child the second he's born. Institutionalize? Oh, yeah, for sure. They said, you're throwing your career away. The head of the obstetrics committee, there were five obstetricians, and the chief dude—

Because the doctors at the Harvard Medical Clinic and all my advisors told me, you have got to, at the very least, institutionalize this child the second he's born. Institutionalize? Oh, yeah, for sure. They said, you're throwing your career away. The head of the obstetrics committee, there were five obstetricians, and the chief dude—

Because the doctors at the Harvard Medical Clinic and all my advisors told me, you have got to, at the very least, institutionalize this child the second he's born. Institutionalize? Oh, yeah, for sure. They said, you're throwing your career away. The head of the obstetrics committee, there were five obstetricians, and the chief dude—

came in, and there I was sitting on a bed in my little hospital napkin, and he said, this is like a cancerous tumor. You've got to let us take it out. It will ruin your life. And I just looked at him, and I had the weirdest experience ever. I looked at this very intimidating guy, and I'm there sort of young and naked and pregnant, and... suddenly it was like I could see two faces on him.

came in, and there I was sitting on a bed in my little hospital napkin, and he said, this is like a cancerous tumor. You've got to let us take it out. It will ruin your life. And I just looked at him, and I had the weirdest experience ever. I looked at this very intimidating guy, and I'm there sort of young and naked and pregnant, and... suddenly it was like I could see two faces on him.

came in, and there I was sitting on a bed in my little hospital napkin, and he said, this is like a cancerous tumor. You've got to let us take it out. It will ruin your life. And I just looked at him, and I had the weirdest experience ever. I looked at this very intimidating guy, and I'm there sort of young and naked and pregnant, and... suddenly it was like I could see two faces on him.

And one was this very stern, knowledgeable doctor, and the other one was a terrified child, terrified. And it was so striking that I started looking at him strangely. I'm sure he thought I was completely nuts. But I looked at him and I thought, you're afraid. You're afraid of this baby.

And one was this very stern, knowledgeable doctor, and the other one was a terrified child, terrified. And it was so striking that I started looking at him strangely. I'm sure he thought I was completely nuts. But I looked at him and I thought, you're afraid. You're afraid of this baby.

And one was this very stern, knowledgeable doctor, and the other one was a terrified child, terrified. And it was so striking that I started looking at him strangely. I'm sure he thought I was completely nuts. But I looked at him and I thought, you're afraid. You're afraid of this baby.

And I realized – that's when I realized that a lot of people don't go to Harvard because they know they're smart. They go there because they're afraid they're stupid.

And I realized – that's when I realized that a lot of people don't go to Harvard because they know they're smart. They go there because they're afraid they're stupid.

And I realized – that's when I realized that a lot of people don't go to Harvard because they know they're smart. They go there because they're afraid they're stupid.

And I thought he's afraid of the – in quotes, stupid little boy inside me because he's afraid of the stupid little boy inside him. He's terrified of being the person he's worked so hard not to be. He's afraid of being like my son. And he thinks that should be thrown away. And that was the point at which I said, I will not make my decisions based on social pressure.

And I thought he's afraid of the – in quotes, stupid little boy inside me because he's afraid of the stupid little boy inside him. He's terrified of being the person he's worked so hard not to be. He's afraid of being like my son. And he thinks that should be thrown away. And that was the point at which I said, I will not make my decisions based on social pressure.