All in Three Abortions

"I always wanted to be a mother, but circumstances made me make other decisions."

Sharing Truth
Three Abortions, Mexico

“In addition to not having support from my family, the man I became pregnant with threatened and blackmailed me into having an abortion. I had to leave the house and go to a hotel, because it was unbearable to stay in that place with them telling me so many bad things. They harassed me through messages and social media and I had to block them and delete them from my life to preserve my mental health.” Read more.

"His texts would slut shame me for sleeping with him and getting pregnant."

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Three Abortions, U.S.

“My third abortion happened after my divorce. I meet a guy and we were talking. We seem very compatible and we discussed everything before we even got intimate. This including children and if I get pregnant he would want to be part of the baby’s life. We both had good jobs, income and we were mature. I was 33 and he was 36. There were some yellow flags that turned red in the months I was dating him. I tried to break up with him, but he would ask me to give us a chance.” Read more.

"What hurts most is the way it happens, surrounded by stigma, judgment, guilt from society. Lo que más duele es la forma en que sucede, rodeado de estigma, juicio y culpa por parte de la sociedad."

Sharing Truth
Three Abortions, Brazil, Spanish/English

“What hurt me the most was that I wanted to continue with the pregnancy, but I had to make another decision because of the circumstances. I knew it would be painful and I would feel guilty if I brought a child into the world without being able to provide the minimum for him, growing up without a father.” Read more.

“Lo que más me dolió fue que quería seguir con el embarazo, pero tuve que tomar otra decisión por las circunstancias. Sabía que sería doloroso y me sentiría culpable si trajera un niño al mundo sin poder brindarle lo mínimo, creciendo sin un padre”. Leer más.

"The sense of relief washed over me almost immediately."

Sharing Truth
Three Abortions, U.S.

“My second one was right when I found out my Dad’s cancer was terminal. My sister had just announced her first pregnancy with her husband—they were elated. But there was a massive elephant in the room. She wouldn’t have a grandpa by the time she was born. Amidst all this, there I was, pregnant, and no one knew. Not only did I not want to be a mother, how the fuck could this happen NOW? Worst timing ever. I drove myself to that same clinic, a state away.” Read more.

"He never once thought about how this could affect my mental health."

Sharing Truth
Three Abortions, California

“All he cared about was how he wanted this second child. He wanted a playmate for child number one, who is on the spectrum, which within itself is a lot of work with them being a toddler and having that disability. So once the second abortion was done, he really went overboard and in some ways is trying to trap me, though I have been using a birth control that works for me and happy that I was able to have such.” Read more.

"I think of the damage those children might have experienced with me as their mother."

Sharing Truth
Three Abortions, Georgia, U.S.

“I know being wanted isn’t a guarantee of a child’s happiness or success, but after I got sober at 25, I went back to school and got a degree in social work. I worked in child abuse investigations for 20 years, and I can’t count the number of children I saw who had been targeted, scapegoated, tortured, and vilified because they were unwanted. The most basic gift we can give children is to be wanted and loved. Every child should have that starting out.” Read more.

"I didn't have the tools to navigate these situations due to my upbringing in a culture that didn't talk about sex or womb trauma."

Sharing Truth
Three Abortions, California

“It was when I was seeking my third abortion that I realized I needed real, deep healing around the relationship choices I was making and what they cost my body, as well as some generational trauma I was carrying. My mom was forced to give up her firstborn. She was an immigrant from Peru, experiencing domestic violence, and she gave birth at a Catholic hospital where they didn't speak Spanish. They highly encouraged her to give up her child, which I feel is more coercion when you don't know the language. It's a secret she kept for 31 years, so there's womb trauma on my mom's side.” Read more.

"I was in my mid forties, divorced and dating someone who convinced me we could never get pregnant as we were too old."

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Three Abortions, Florida

“The last one was over 10 years ago. I’m now almost 60. I’ve had a lot of guilt lately about this all and making the same mistake again and again. I know I did the right thing as the first one made having my beautiful children possible and the last two prevented our lives from being so much more difficult then they already were. Even when I tried to have my first child, the baby died (my miscarriage) so it obviously wasn’t meant to be, just like my other pregnancies that I had to terminate.” Read more.

"I just need to know if someone else out there had a similar experience and if I’m not wrong for considering another abortion.”

Sharing Truth
Three Abortions, Multiple Abortions, Many different locations

This person’s call for help was posted on the Instagram account of Shout Your Abortion. What happened next was a huge flood of supportive comments filled with stories of others who have ended their pregnancies. More than 40 people responded with words of care and support. Read more.

"To the woman that I judged in high school for having 2 abortions, I am so sorry."

Sharing Truth
Three Abortions, Texas, U.S.

“Not once did I entertain having a baby. Sometimes I think about how old they would be now, but not much more. Those 3 abortions were not difficult decisions for me. I have also yet to encounter someone that doesn’t sit with me while I open up and talk about it. To anyone feeling alone, like I did during my first abortion, you are not! You have thousands of people in your corner.” Read more.

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