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I believe having that abortion was a blessing in disguise.
I made a choice that I believe both my grandma and mother desperately wanted access to when they found out they were pregnant
One thing that stood out to me most right after having the abortion was how simple it was.
that is what choice is and that is what choice means and I refuse to feel shame.
I am glad that both of us were able to get the procedure when we needed it, but I wish everyone could have my...
My body didn't even feel like my own anymore. It felt like I had to walk around with a ticking time bomb in me.
I couldn’t carry this baby. It just wouldn’t be fair to myself and my family, but most of all my children.
My mother fiercely protected me from the invasive protestors. She is my hero.
I want to share my story, not only to raise awareness on HG but to provide another perspective to those going through it.
I had made a truly irreversible decision that changed the course of my life forever.
I never got to grieve in the way that I would have liked to be able to.
I did have a home. I did have an income. And I could raise a child. But I didn’t want that then.
All abortion is, in some way, to save the life of the mother.
I will never know if my decision was really mine because I didn’t have the information I really needed
only because of my earlier decision were we able to create a thriving, healthy, happy family of four
There are countless health issues that arise during a pregnancy that constitute medically necessary grounds for terminating a pregnancy
Abortion shouldn’t be shamed, we need to stick together and be able to talk about it.
I think I wanted to be a mother more than I wanted a baby
I thought all I would feel is relief. But I feel sadness too.
Prior to this, I often would say that I was pro‑choice but it was not a choice I could make.
For the longest time, I felt like I didn’t deserve to mourn you, because I made that choice.
I begged him to pay for the majority of the abortion and held my tongue at all the horrible things I really wanted to...
I've seen a lot of things, but I saw the best and worst of humanity that week and I am not the same because...
I believe no one should be forced to birth a child that they don’t want or aren’t prepared to care for.
Shame works like a self imposed gag order.
Turns out they weren’t even licensed, and they lied to me about how far I was.
I have discovered that if all this played out again I would have made the same choice.
My abortion has allowed me to feel like a whole person again.
I knew why I was doing it and I knew I felt no connection to the blur of cells on the screen.
I remember when I gave the note to my gym teacher...she was angry at me and I got angry right back and said to...
I needed a hip replacement if I were to walk again. They also informed me that hip replacement surgery could not be done while...
Purity culture made me believe that my body was not my own.
it took this experience to open our eyes to the fact that we weren’t in fact ready emotionally or financially
I have always been thankful for that compassionate doctor.
I did choose life. I chose my own. I chose to put myself first.
The most basic gift we can give children is to be wanted and loved. Every child should have that starting out.
In order to prevent sepsis and preserve my fertility for future babies I would need to have a therapeutic abortion.
Carrying the pregnancy full term meant that I would be taken off my medication
i realized that i wasn’t special, or alone. that amazing people make this choice every day.
to my surprise the whole experience felt like bad period cramps...
My abortion was essential to my health and well being and I am the only human on earth that decides that.
The physician who cared for me held the space for my grief and pain, supporting one of the most difficult times of my life.
It is up to all of us to be that helping hand or listening ear for our friends in whatever manner they choose
I walked out with no bleeding, no discomfort and with a huge weight lifted off of me
I didn't have enough money to care for myself, let alone a baby.
I learned later that antibiotics for strep throat weakened my Birth Control although no one told me that was possible.
It was frustrating with all the hormones that I wasn’t able to control.
My first reaction was happiness because I had the right intuition and because my body was able to create a human being...
It was so appalling to get no support whatsoever from anyone, even from medical professionals.
I got a tattoo to remember what I lost but also to help me cope and forgive myself.
He manipulated me by saying that if I got rid of the pregnancy that he would stay and love me
Happiness was never a thought in my mind when it came to the fact that I was carrying a child.
I wish I didn’t feel like such a bad person for wanting to go through an abortion this far along.
I feel a sense of loss for the baby I will never have, even though I didn’t want a fourth child.
I had my second abortion yesterday. I had my first abortion 8 months ago.
My abortion did not trigger my mental health decline, but I think that the experience did.
I believe I was met with angels that day.
I didn’t choose abortion because I hate babies
He wanted me to spend the rest of my life coping with the consequences of a choice I didn't get to make for myself?
I knew I did the right thing, but so many people were trying to persuade me I didn’t.
As a nonbinary person, being pregnant was extremely traumatic physically and emotionally.
My wish is that someday no one is led to parenthood because they simply had no other choice.
I felt comforted by the staff and even the other women who were waiting with me. I realized that abortion is normal and I...
That abortion wasn't just about me, it was about my family.
I thank God for abortion and for the choice I was able to make to stop my child's suffering and also to make the...
No one ever talks about the nuance of emotion that comes with abortion.
Anytime we would argue or fight, which was even more constant, he would hold my abortion over my head.
I came out of the surgery and was hit with a wave of gratitude and pure happiness.
I knew having an abortion was the only way to make things right, but I still felt shame.
I felt shame for thirty years. I absorbed the message that it was my fault I’d gotten pregnant.
To this day, I still feel relief.
For the first time in a long time, I experienced the feeling of hope.
I want a child desperately, but I want a child that is wanted.
I don't feel guilty in the slightest.
I got the chance to live and do what I want to do to make my future better.
The fact is, IT IS NORMAL TO NEED MORE THAN ONE ABORTION.
I didn’t want to bring another child of his into this world that he didn’t support
I didn’t have to force myself to do something I knew deep down I didn’t want to be doing.
a child that came from abuse that would forever tie me to my abuser
My husband and I are pro‑choice BECAUSE of our faith
I was the preacher’s daughter, and I had an abortion.
I always thought I would feel joy, and jubilation, but for some reason I just didn't.
You have nothing to feel shame about. You have nothing to apologize for.
I decided to share my story because reading others' stories here gave me strength when I was making my own decision.
It’s still a taboo when I wish it wasn’t.
Having a baby in my arms throughout it all, has been the hardest and most hurting part.
To me, the abortion was a wake‑up call. For my life!
To this day, my SO and I have frequent conversations on reproductive rights, mental health, and bodily autonomy.
I chose to save my own life and I’ve never regretted it.
popping out a baby when we can’t afford one, don’t have time for one, and truly don’t want one, is completely irresponsible
through the process of the abortions, I learned that “everything happens for a reason” can mean many things.
I found it extremely hard to let go afterwards. I followed a pregnancy tracking app and would check it weekly
It made me feel better to see other women my age there too, going through the exact same motions as me.
All I was thinking was, “I can’t be pregnant again! I JUST had a baby! I can’t do this.”
I’m not healed‑ How can I do this?
I am currently in a country where abortion is illegal except in the case of the mother's life being at risk
Some of the most compassionate healthcare providers I’ve ever interacted with were at that clinic.
I just want to say that you are strong and you should not feel ashamed for your decision
Courts and politicians have failed us, but people everywhere are working to make sure abortion stays accessible. SYA is building and strengthening our connections all over the country, sharing life-saving info, and cultivating a mass culture of defiance. Abortion access as a community responsibility, and each of us need to find a way to contribute. Sign up here to get involved.