“The mental anguish someone goes through is intense,” Peters, a Michigan Democrat, said in an interview with Elle magazine published on Monday, “trying to have a miscarriage for a child that was wanted.”

But the situation became more critical when Heidi’s health deteriorated, so the couple found a doctor at another hospital who agreed to do the procedure.

In the interview, Peters spoke publicly for the first time about the abortion and the troubling moments leading up to the event, which threatened the life of his ex-wife. Peters now joins a small group of members of Congress who have spoken about their personal experiences with abortion.

“My story is one that’s tragically shared by so many Americans,” Peters tweeted on Monday. “It’s a story of gut-wrenching and complicated decisions — but it’s important for folks to understand families face these situations every day.”

Peters shared the story as he fights