Several major network news dierctors picked up phones and called their lawyers.

“Joan suggested I go public, to tell others what I’m doing and why. This can help women like myself who can’t do what others are doing and at the same time help ones who cannot have children because they don’t ovulate. There’s a need for more women to participate in what I’m doing.” To her aide she said, “Help me with this.” They helped her remove the maternity top. There were gasps from all over the room and the cameras switched from her face to her belly and zoomed in.

“I appeared to have gotten pregnant quickly. Some thought it was fraud. I have not gotten pregnant and I am not doing anything even remotely dishonest. I felt this was personal enough that I would not have to explain it to the country but the press has chosen to not ask. I would have preferred to discuss this off the record and see how much they felt they had to report. I will be donating ova on an ongoing basis. To prevent having surgery every time they harvest I had some surgery to provide a port. To protect the surgical site, I need support and padding that makes me look pregnant. I will look like this for a year.” She described her surgery. “Without the support, I can’t get out of this chair myself without risking damage to my belly, with it my life is relatively normal. If you watch the monitor, you’ll see what the camera inside me is viewing.” She flipped on the camera and pointed it toward her left ovary. “That is my left ovary, I’ll be watching them every day and when certain changes occur I’ll drive up to Harrisburg and they’ll harvest the eggs through a port in the device, fertilize them and implant them in a woman. If the woman can bear her own child she will but if she cannot they will be implanted in a host. Because of this device they can monitor me more effectively and harvest the ova without surgical incisions.”

“I should give at least three women a chance to have a child each month for a year. As a by-product of this, I’m going to have some other surgery later this year. They found a fibroid cyst on my uterus that explains why I can’t get pregnant.” She moved the camera, “See it. When it’s removed, I’ll have myself implanted with my own ova, fertilized by my husband’s sperm since I’ll not be able to conceive the usual way after the surgery which will also remove my fallopian tubes. Before all of this, I wanted two more children but it didn’t happen. I’m going to donate ova, then if I get pregnant, after I have my two children I’ll try again to have at least two for other women. I want you to have whatever film and footage you want and I’ll answer questions. Don’t be afraid to come up here and see me. I want other women see this and respond. Right now we could use over a thousand women like me. I’d like to suggest that women who can, give it a try, particularly women who still have their ovaries but either have no uterus or one that will not support a pregnancy.”

The film and question session took a half hour. When it was over Peggy was wheeled to her office. Her staff helped her get on her support and protector. When she returned to the House Floor those present rose and applauded. She took her seat.

By noon the next day her office received over a hundred calls about her surgery. They were referred to Dr. Butler. Joan would schedule over a month of surgery, just from the first day’s calls from women in her area. Eighty seven women had signed up in various locations. Peggy’s press conference did for ova donation what Joan’s statement did for child carrying. Joan also got calls from men wanting to know about sperm donations. There would soon be no shortage in these areas.

Alpha Four Chapter 01: Two Autopsies

Alpha Four Chapter 10: Peggy Kramer’s Surgery Brings a Surprise

Alpha Four Chapter 12: Peggy Kramer is Back on the Campaign Trail