May 6 May 6 "I feel guilty but I had no choice." Sharing Truth Three Abortions, Kenya “Abortion is illegal here and this affected me and made me feel guilty. But I overcame this. It’s not me only —over a million ladies do this yearly. Obviously people can't tell you how they feel about you. But inside their minds they think— she is a whore and such.” Read more.
Apr 26 Apr 26 "We need to honor ourselves and trust our decisions." Sharing Truth Three Abortions, Massachusetts “At age 35, my body was not handling the pregnancy well. My son, now 11, had a stable home and I had a good job. I knew my entire life that I had very strategically and carefully put together would possibly be knocked down like a tower in the game ‘Jenga.’” Read more.
Apr 24 Apr 24 "I can live my life the way I intended to and when I'm ready, I'm sure I'll be a great mom, just not anytime soon." Sharing Truth Two Abortions, Washington “When I went in to get the ultrasound they do before the procedure, I started to cry about how disappointed I was in myself about having to get another one. The nurse said, 'this is more common than you think.' That helped a little, then another nurse who did the education part and was going to be in the room during the procedure noticed I was upset and said, 'If I was pregnant right now, I'd do the same thing. Sometimes the timing is not right and only you can decide that.' After that, I stopped crying and started to feel okay about myself.” Read more.
Apr 23 Apr 23 "I had a no-shame medication abortion." Sharing Truth Two Abortions, Hungary “To do it in the safety of your home, beside your loved ones, gives you positiveness, strength and empowers you in many ways. No shame at all. I had an abortion once before, in a hospital. I felt I will not survive the shame and depressive feelings that were planted in me by hospital staff.” Read more.
Apr 16 Apr 16 "I’m not financially ready or have my own place to raise a child." Sharing Truth Two Abortions, Canada “I’m still trying to get myself together and go back to school. I’m having bad mental issues and anxiety thinking about it. I need to learn to forgive myself for it. I feel something missing from me and I know what it is.” Read more.
Apr 12 Apr 12 "The doctor that treated me was very rude and I felt judged." Sharing Truth Two Abortions, Japan “When he would make the ultrasounds for the first visits, he kept on telling me that is an alive baby and his tone was very dry. If it wasn't enough that I was already struggling emotionally, and having to hide it from my family. Having a doctor — who I thought would me more professional about it — that judges you didn't help. The nurses were nice, though.” Read more.
Apr 9 Apr 9 "We took it for granted and never realized that our parents had to fight for this right and that in so many countries it's not available safely." Sharing Truth Multiple Abortions, Netherlands, Men's Experiences, Partner Experience “An abortion means that you let go of possible future. Even when I was very sure about the decision and relieved after the operation, there was also sadness and mourning about it. The sadness about not being able to enjoy this other future, too!” Read. more.
Mar 31 Mar 31 "I was terrified of the fact that something was growing inside of me, and had a fear that someone would inherit my mental health problems." Sharing Truth Two Abortions, Finland “I have suffered from panic disorder, general anxiety and OCD from a very young age. In my early thirties I was also diagnosed with depression. I’ve used antidepressants since the age of 20. When we started to try to get pregnant, I lowered my dose of antidepressants to a minimum. In retrospect it was a mistake. One evening I was crying on our couch because I was so depressed and anxious about what our future would look like with a baby. I was really struggling to keep my mind even somewhat normal. My boyfriend then said to me: “You know we still have time to decide if we want to terminate the pregnancy. You are more important than anything and you are the light of my life.” Read more.
Mar 30 Mar 30 "I don’t see myself bringing a child into the world only for them to suffer just because I’m afraid of what people are going to say." Sharing Truth Five Abortions, South Africa “From these experiences I've learnt to live with myself and not be ashamed of the decisions I've made. Societal norms make us believe it’s okay to bear children into poverty. If I feel like I’m not ready for a child, then I’m not ready. I'll never let anyone tell me differently, because when it comes to raising a baby especially with an absent father or without a support structure, you really are on your own.” Read more.
Mar 27 Mar 27 "A whole lot of love goes into whatever you decide." Sharing Truth Two Abortions, Utah, U.S. “The Friday before I sent a text about how I felt guilty, but I also would want my child to be able to have a relationship with the father. He finally responded that,it was my choice, but he would suggest abortion, as he never saw himself having a child with someone he didn’t love fully. This gave me some sort of clarity, and I knew how difficult life would be for the child moving forward.” Read more.
Mar 20 Mar 20 "I was very sure of what I was doing." ~ "Estaba muy segura de lo que estaba haciendo." Sharing Truth Two Abortions, Paraguay, Spanish/English “I didn't have any trauma, I bought the pills. And I did it. I found out I was pregnant within a few weeks, when I started having symptoms. I was afraid. My partner is younger than me and I had no way out. I have done it before. Previously I did it because I was alone and I was not prepared. This time it was out of fear, because I have a family that depends on me financially speaking.” Read more.“No tuve ningún trauma, compré las pastillas. Y lo hice. Descubrí que estaba embarazada a las pocas semanas, cuando comencé a tener síntomas. Tenía miedo. Mi pareja es más joven que yo y no tenía salida. Lo he hecho antes. Anteriormente lo hacía porque estaba solo y no estaba preparado. Esta vez fue por miedo, porque tengo una familia que depende de mí económicamente hablando ”. Leer más.
Mar 13 Mar 13 "Friends and family know I had a baby when I was 24, but they don't know about my three other pregnancies." Sharing Truth Three Abortions, Colorado, U.S. “Should I be punished for my choices in life? Why do the ‘pro-life’ groups believe that I should be taking care of 4 children with tax payer support?!?!? I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE what my life would be like if I was taking care of 4 KIDS!!! I can promise you that I would have MANY PEOPLE looking at me saying I was an insane mother for having 4 kids.” Read more.
Mar 8 Mar 8 "I know that these experiences will make me stronger and more prepared for when I have a child at the time I choose. " Sharing Truth Two Abortions, Mexico “In the entire country there are only two states where you can get an abortion, and I did not live in either state. Our only option to get an abortion was to fly to another state and do the procedure there. I felt sad for the women in this country who aren't able to go to another state like I was and are forced to have a baby due to circumstance.” Read more.
Mar 7 Mar 7 "Trust your brain and your heart that they will collaborate." Sharing Truth Three Abortions, Two Abortions, Netherlands, Audio In this brief segment of her abortion story, Monika shares about meeting two people in the clinic waiting room who calmed her nerves by sharing that they each had experienced more than one abortion. “This was very pleasant for me to be surrounded by these very strong women who trusted their bodies and showed me the normality of abortion. They obviously were way more mature and way more experienced and comfortable in their own bodies, so I was happy to see that as an example to follow.” Read more and listen.
Mar 5 Mar 5 "Shamed into silence, my mom couldn't tell me about her abortions -- until I needed one." Sharing Truth Multiple Abortions, Location Unknown “My mom wanted to have a baby on her terms. She didn't want to doom herself and her children to poverty and deprivation, so she waited to have children. Her body kept trying to change the schedule. So she terminated the pregnancies. She made this decision, evaluating her position and capabilities each time, on a number of occasions, which is nobody's business but her own. When she was ready, she had my brother and me.” Read more.
Mar 2 Mar 2 "Two girlfriends, two abortions." Sharing Truth Two Abortions, Men's Experiences, Location Unknown, Partner Experience “I was 18 and 22, at the beginning and in the middle of my drug addiction and unfit to be a parent.” Read more.
Feb 27 Feb 27 "I'm very honest about having had multiple abortions and about regretting one." Sharing Truth Three Abortions, Illinois, U.S. “It's complicated for me to talk about abortion. I'm fiercely pro choice but I've also had one abortion I regret. That’s difficult for a lot of people to understand. I feel adamant that the nuances and contradictions and gray areas surrounding abortion need to be discussed. I deserve to be pro abortion and also sometimes regretful. My whole story is worthy, even if it confuses people. Maybe especially because it does.” Read more.
Feb 20 Feb 20 "They are decisions that you make according to the situation you live in that moment." ~ "Son desiciones que una toma de acuerdo a la situacion que vive en ese momento." Sharing Truth Four Abortions, Cuba, U.S., In Spanish & English “In Cuba, abortion is something natural, so to speak. It is free and all have access. My first abortion was at 16. I was studying and I got very sick with dizziness and other symptoms that were horrible. I had a relationship with a fool and my family decided that I should have an abortion and it was not my decision. Then at 21 I had my son. The most precious gift that God has given me.” Read more.“En Cuba, el aborto es algo natural, por así decirlo. Es gratis y todos tienen acceso. Mi primer aborto fue a los 16 años. Estaba estudiando y me enfermé mucho con mareos y otros síntomas que eran horribles. Tuve una relación con un tonto y mi familia decidió que debía abortar y no fue mi decisión. Luego, a los 21 tuve a mi hijo. El regalo más precioso que Dios me ha dado ". Leer más."
Feb 17 Feb 17 "I was fearful of being an absentee father." Sharing Truth Two Abortions, Men's Experiences, Location Unknown, Partner Experience “Now I find myself at the age of 28, wanting a child, but I don't feel right and I'm not sure if a guy is allowed to feel this burden especially when I had the opportunity to have two.” Read more.
Feb 11 Feb 11 Video ~ "I knew my future would be limitless because I had the abortion care I needed when I needed it." Sharing Truth Two Abortions, California, U.S. Watch and listen as Erin describes how her abortions allowed her to get an education, land her dream job, and thrive in a career of helping others. Her abortions also let her fulfill one of her deepest values as an immigrant. “I feel this it’s my honor but also my duty to build a life where I can give back,” she says.Watch and listen.
