“I was only 4.5 weeks along, but I had already been able to see the gestational sac. I was very anxious precisely because of the illegal situation in the country where I live (DR) and I was afraid that something would happen to me and everyone would find out and of course a complication. This is my third abortion, my second with misoprostol.”

“Tenía solo 4.5 semanas, pero ya había podido ver el saco gestacional. Estuve muy ansiosa precisamente por la situación de ilegalidad en el país donde vivo (RD) y tenía miedo que algo me pasara y todos se enteraran y por supuesto una complicación. Es mi tercer aborto, el segundo con misoprostol.”
Lee mas.

“I found out I was pregnant about 2.5 weeks ago. I had a complete meltdown and was conflicted on what I wanted to do. For a while I was 50/50 — primarily because I felt guilt because if I decided to terminate this would be my second termination, and I felt so much guilt/shame over that. My last termination was a very long time ago, 10 years or so and I was super young and didn’t think twice about terminating.” Read more.

“I found out I was pregnant again when she was 7 months old and knew I wasn’t ready for another baby. It felt so selfish to give my daughter a sibling so young. I just want her to grow up and be the main focus for a while. I ordered the abortion pills and tried to prepare myself while waiting for them to arrive. Once they arrived I was so scared and just bawled my eyes out thinking about how terrible of a person I was to be doing this.” Read more.

“At 15 I got pregnant. I did not want to carry the stereotype that most Latina women have of having children very young. At 22 I got pregnant for the second time. With no full time job and being a first-year masters student, I knew that having a baby was not in the plans. I thought I was supposed to feel guilty –otherwise I feared being perceived as a bad person if I felt relieved from having an abortion.” Read more.

“Because of the health risks of this pregnancy, I was able to reach a doctor who was able to help me with information about pills that ended the pregnancy. I was then referred to the government hospital to get a sterilization operation. It took an entire year to get a date for the operation but when it came to the day, the anaesthetist refused to treat me.” Read more.

Listen to this episode of the Abortion Diary to hear what it was like to get an abortion before Roe v. Wade legalized the procedure in 1973. Judi M. tells of getting pregnant after a rape at 16 and then going to an apartment for an illegal abortion. Her frightening experience led her into a career in reproductive health. Her descriptions of anti-abortion protesters reveal how little has changed since her 2nd abortion in 1978. Listen.

“He wanted the child no matter what; he said it is his right. And yes, we did not use protection; he 'put it out'. He tried to cheat me several times by not putting it out. Yet, I still could not get away. I was addicted to his caressing; he could be so gentle with me, I wanted to believe he loved me. Until he one day did it again. I felt so cheated. A few days after, a neighbor told me he saw him kissing another neighbor. I was in a state of shock.” Read more.

“This was my second abortion. Unlike the first, my heart is sad because I do not doubt my partner, how much we love each other, but precisely for that reason we decided to postpone our paternity and fulfill the goals we have and the dreams in which we are still only two :)” Read more.

“Este fue mi segundo aborto. A diferencia del primero, mi corazón está triste porque no dudo de mi pareja, de lo mucho que nos amamos, pero precisamente por eso decidimos posponer nuestra paternidad y cumplir las metas que tenemos y los sueños en los que aún somos solo dos. :)" Lee mas.

“I felt most guilty right before the 2nd abortion. I felt like, everyone gets ONE mistake, you know? This, despite the fact that I had struggled with serious postpartum depression and had an extremely long list of reasons why another child at that point in my life would have been a terrible choice, despite the fact that I am a running joke of failed birth control methods and could have found plenty of ‘not my fault’ excuses.” Read more.