This story is published at Shout Your Abortion.

I have a child only because I had three abortions. Yes. Three. Each one saved me, each in a different way.

The first because my mom was dying and I needed to spend a year with her and not be a new/unemployed mom.

The second and third saved my fertility after a first and then second trimester miscarriage.

There was blood and pain and sadness because I wanted to stay pregnant. There was fear on my doctor’s face.

But never regret.

Not for the two pregnancies I wanted. And not for the one I didn’t.

Being in charge of how and when I had a baby was vitally important because so much of my fertility seemed random and out of control.

And now I have this little person who owes their life to abortion.