Ruth Stoops is a down-on-her-luck drifter who gets two pieces of unexpected news after a "routine" arrest: she's pregnant for the fifth time, and she's facing felony charges. Behind closed doors, the judge offers Ruth an intriguing proposition: if she agrees to visit the doctor and "take care of her problem," he just might reduce her charges. But moments later, Ruth is joined in her cell by a group of passionate housewives just in from a raid on the local abortion clinic. In no time, Ruth is out on bail thanks to her kindly cellmates, who are more than willing to adopt her until she has the baby. But having that baby wasn't exactly what Ruth had in mind... For unsuspecting Ruth, it's just the beginning of a series of chaotic twists and turns that will introduce her to fanaticism on both sides of one of the most divisive issues of our times, all clamoring to make her a national symbol for their movements and give her a very unwanted fifteen minutes of fame.