Albany woman sues three healthcare providers after botched abortion

A young woman in Albany says her failed abortion put her life in jeopardy. Now she is suing three health care providers, claiming they did not properly care for her.

Nakara Alston and her two daughters were just starting a new life — escaping an abusive relationship and moving into a domestic violence shelter. Then in May 2020, Alston found out she was pregnant.

“I was in a not stable situation, and I was not prepared to have another one,” she said.

Alston immediately called Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood to schedule an abortion.

“I thought everything done and said,” Alston said. “Days go by. I’m still heavily bleeding, pain in my stomach, just nauseous and just a lot of heavy bleeding.”

Her pregnancy had not terminated.

“Planned Parenthood had no process for checking to make certain that the suction abortion was successful,” said Lewis Oliver, Alston’s attorney.

Oliver said the next few months were agonizing. Alston was trying to care for her two young kids in the shelter while her unwanted pregnancy continued.

Her whole ordeal is detailed in a 55-page lawsuit. It claims that just three weeks after her botched abortion, she went to her regular OB-GYN at St. Peter’s because of the continued bleeding and debilitating pain. Another test confirmed she was still pregnant at about 15 weeks. Planned Parenthood told her the bleeding, pain, and a positive test were all normal.

At least three times in June, she went to Albany Medical Center for help. She continued to tell health care providers she wanted to terminate the pregnancy. The lawsuit claims Albany Med never told her they provide abortion services and kept referring her back to Planned Parenthood.

Finally, at the end of July, she went to St. Peter’s again for her discomfort. Days later, she went into labor and was transferred to Albany Med, where her baby lived for about an hour.

The only thing Alston has left from this traumatic ordeal is the cremated ashes that sit on her mantle, and the terrifying reality that she could have died.

“I felt like my life was on the line, and they didn’t care,” Alston said.

NewsChannel 13 did reach out to all three health care providers. St. Peter’s and Albany Med said they cannot comment on pending litigation.

Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood said in a statement, “All Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood health centers follow Planned Parenthood’s rigorous medical standards and guidelines for the provision of abortion care, including follow-up protocols.”

Alston’s story was first reported by the Times Union.

Meanwhile, Oliver said there is one overriding reason for what happened to his client. He believes it is related to the way medical care has changed.

Watch the video below to see that portion of the story.