A short while ago, a woman filmed herself having a non-surgical abortion (the abortion pill, mifepristone or RU486) and placed her experience on YouTube, Twitter, and other Social Media, etc. It has gained national exposure.
Her reasoning was to show the public that there is no shame in having an abortion. Unfortunately, while abortion has been legal since 1973 and over one million women a year have an abortion, there is still a stigma attached to the procedure and even to the medical term abortion. While there are many national pro-choice groups, one organization, the Abortion Care Network (ACN), has focused most of its resources on encouraging women to speak up about their abortion experience in the hopes that the more women speak, the more “acceptable” the procedure will become. They are to be applauded.
Thousands of people a day read this blog. Thousands of you have had abortions.
I’d like to use this forum to encourage women to reply to this post and talk about their abortion experience. And, yes, if you had a bad experience (see my previous postings on “Bad Doctors”), please let us know.
The more you talk, and experiences are shared, the more people will understand.
Abortion - Abortion Clinics, Abortion Pill, Abortion Information 
March 6, 2010 at 11:30 am
Pat,
I had an abortion years ago, when I was about 18.
My parents helped me and brought me to Connecticut where a kind Doctor Gentlemen type as one might imagine from the old doctor shows, took care of me in less than an hour as my memory brings back the story evoked by your post.
My doctor in our town at the time would not help us, and she had been my mother’s OBGYN for over two decades, and delivered me.
She was my doctor as well, and she didn’t think abortion was wrong, she said she refused to do them.
I never understood that at that young age or what it really meant, it just seemed strange.
Now as two decades has passed, and I reflect on what is written in the post above. My story is brought back to me. And the issues you speak of now seem to keep making more sense.
I now have a beautiful family, and I love my three children and husband dearly. I have a career that I love.
Pat thank you.
As you help me realize how fortunate I was to have the support I had.
I don’t know how my life’s journey may have been had I continued the pregnancy.
No one can. I make decisions every day that could change my life in so many ways.
I only experience one journey though.
I am so happy with the one I have.
I hope all women can be allowed to choose the fork in the road, and follow their own journey. It is theirs to follow, and their decision.
Thank you again, as I write this with tear in eye, as I have been blessed.
I hope other may be as well.
Kate
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March 6, 2010 at 12:57 pm
Hi Everyone,
My name is chris and I’m a 23 year old male that has recently been through an abortion with my girlfriend.
Before my girlfriend and I started to become sexually active we both knew we did not want any kids. She had already been taking birth control and I always have practiced safe sex She became pregnant and we decided to go through an abortion together.
I know some people say what we did was wrong but I don’t think it was. We were responsible when having sex and abortion was the option we chose. I thought I would share that with you loyal readers on the site.
The one thing I want people to see from this post is that WE MADE THE CHICE! Government and other peoples beliefs should not infringe upon the rights of an individual.
Thank you for providing me with a place to share my experience.
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March 6, 2010 at 1:24 pm
I don’t have a story about my abortion but I do believe that this chide should be left upto a women or a couple.
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March 6, 2010 at 1:49 pm
I agree with the thought that the more women talk about their experiences with abortion, the less taboo it will become in society, and the less ignorance there will be about the topic. Research tells us that women of any class, race, or background can be affected by abortion. Rather than hiding our stories, and feeding into the notion that this is something to be ashamed of, more women need to accept responsibilty for their actions and stand by their choices.
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March 6, 2010 at 1:52 pm
Kaitland: Thank you for having the courage to be the first post. You wrote about your tears. Well, you brought tears to my eyes as well. It is so important that you (and I hope others) chimed in. Those who would take away this right seem to monopolize the conversation. It is time that we hear from more women like you. You have my best wishes and my gratitude.
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March 6, 2010 at 1:55 pm
Chris: That you for providing a male’s perspective. Oftentimes, we forget about the man who is involved and his feelings. What you did was not wrong, I’m glad you realize that. You made the decision that you and your girlfriend thought was best at that time. I wish you and your girlfriend a wonderful future. Ah, to be young again!
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March 6, 2010 at 2:09 pm
My name is Justin I just graduated with a master in Business Marketing. My finacee and I are advocates for Pro-Choice. When we were the tender age of 19 Vanessa became pregnant. After sseveral weeks of deliberation we decided that she should have an abortion. Adoption was looked into however we decided against it because Vanessa was put into the system at the age of 3. She bounced from foster home to foster home enduring hardships from boderline starvation to sexual molestation. This was not something i was willing to put another life through. Whether the possiblity was remote or not, this was something we could not endure on our conscience. That is how we arrived at that decsion. If we had brought a child into the world we would have been incapable of caring for it. To be honest, we do not need Church or State interfering in the choices in our lives. Currently as a double income home we bring in well over six figures. Vanessa is now pregnant again however this time we are well prepared to bring a life into this world. Thank you for having this forum where i could share my story
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March 6, 2010 at 2:15 pm
Thanks, Justin. It sounds like you and Vanessa really have your act together. I”m sure deciding to have the abortion was not easy but, as your story demonstrates, it was the right decision at the time. And now, you’re bringing a young baby into the world!
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March 6, 2010 at 3:29 pm
It’s very nice to see males involved in the discussion. I have had an abortion and it was a painful choice at the time but I had to make it myself. I don’t want to share the details of it but I want to say that it was my choice and no one elses choice. I respect everyones views on abortion but just remember that it’s a womens right to choose.
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March 7, 2010 at 1:57 pm
My wife recently had an abortion. My vasectomy failed!!!!!
We are happily married and are well beyond wanting more children
we love our 5 kids.
We are Catholic. The church needs to mature into the 21st century.
My wife wanted to have the abortion. I told her I would support her whatever her choice.
Her experience was so much simpler than we ever imagined. She played tennis later in the day!! Even though they told her not to!!!
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March 7, 2010 at 4:40 pm
I didn’t have an abortion but I believe a woman should have the choice of doing what is best at the moment for her. My friend had an abortion when she was young and now she is married and have a beautiful child.
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March 8, 2010 at 10:31 am
Thanks for sharing your story, Hugh. FIVE kids? Wow, that must be a handful!
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March 11, 2010 at 10:39 pm
When I was in college I found myself pregnant, my mom wanted me to have the child and put it up for adoption, and the father of the baby wanted me to just get rid of it. He did said a lot of things to convince me that an abortion would be the right choice. I was on scholarship from the military and he told me having a child would make me ineligible to go into the military (they don’t let in single parents and he wasn’t going to marry me) which mean I would have to pay back all the money they gave me. So he told me that being pregnant and no degree and having to pay back all that money. Well there was no other choice for me but to have an abortion.
I was about 10 weeks along at that point, and I knew if I was going to make a decision it had to be fast and it would affect the course of my life from that point on.
I choose life.
It turns out the jerk who got me pregnant was wrong. I had already signed on the dotted line which meant I was already in the military and they couldn’t take away my scholarship and still had to let me in if I wanted to be in. I’m not sure where my life would have been had I gotten rid of my daughter, but looking at the beautiful little girl I have now, I know with the way I was living my life before something worse could have happened to me, an STD. It turns out for me not having an abortion made me more responsible.
After going through that experience I now understand why a woman would feel the need to have an abortion, I was vulnerable and just wanted someone to support me in my decisions, and help me out. I didn’t get that from the person who helped me get pregnant or my family (although later my mom came around). I basically had to have the courage to be out on my own, there are not many women in that situation that would have that courage, especially if the guy that got them pregnant is a supposed long term and loving relationship, it is very hard to say no to that…even when they are saying it is your choice but you know they want you to choice abortion. I hope all women will really consider the choice they make, it doesn’t just affect their lives, it affects their children as well.
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March 12, 2010 at 10:07 am
Thank you, Amanda, for sharing this story with us. I got goosebumps reading it. I think what you are showing is that every woman needs to make the decision on her own, taking into account their own personal circumstances. It is so hard for people on both sides of the issue to totally understand until they are in that position themselves. That’s why we need to strive to insure that women avoid the unwanted pregnancy in the first place.
I am glad that everything has worked out for you and that you have a wonderful daughter. Now, start putting money away right now for that big college bill you’ve got coming down the road!!!
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July 2, 2010 at 11:54 pm
I know this is an old post but I thought I’d respond anyway.
I had an abortion last year. I regret getting pregnant in the first place more than I regret the abortion.
I never thought I’d be the kind of person that would get an abortion. But I guess I am.
I did it because I wasn’t able to handle carrying a baby to term and caring for it, emotionally, financially, in any way.
I have a severe mental illness that affected my decision.
The guy was a loser and I’m glad I don’t have to deal with him for the rest of my life.
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