I was 8 weeks pregnant when I found out I was pregnant and had an abortion 2 days later. I was 20 years old and my experience was very privileged. My abortion took place at a world-class hospital in Chicago and I was under general anesthesia. I woke up and it was over. This was 14 years ago – I didn’t doubt my decision at the time and I have not regretted it at all since. I’m glad I had the abortion.
I could provide additional details to “justify” the abortion – I was about to graduate college into a difficult 2008 recession job market. I had just broken up with my abusive college boyfriend who I incidentally found out had been cheating on me when my gynecologist confirmed my pregnancy and that he had given me chlamydia. I could go on. However, none of those issues really mattered; I would have done it either way. I did not want to be pregnant, I did not want to give birth, I did not want to be a mother. I decided to share some of the circumstances for context, but in reality, they’re irrelevant. I didn’t want to be pregnant and I terminated the pregnancy.
I know that it’s a difficult decision for many people. It’s my goal to share that while an individual’s difficult surrounding the decision to terminate is completely valid, it’s not the only response. For many people, the decision is simple and obvious. Even when my older, male gynecologist made me listen to the heart beat before confirming that I wanted to move forward with the procedure, I didn’t feel connected to the child or any guilt or shame. It was just a normal medical procedure to me.
Now I am 34 years old and married. I still do not want children. If my birth control again failed and I became pregnant again today, I would have another abortion.
