Rachael
2003 United States
Almost ten years later and I still have incredibly conflicting emotions. I am at peace with my decision and find comfort within my personal faith that I made the right choice. But I was born and raised in the South so I will always have those voices in the back of my head saying "You are a bad person!". Mostly though I think about women where abortion is illegal. I'm so grateful that my conflict over this was a moral one, not a legal one, and I think that's how it should always be!
It's was as supportive and non-traumatic as they could make it. Actually, the doctor that delivered me as a child was the doctor who did the procedure. It made me trust him immediately because my mom had always loved him and she told me he had been an advocate for a woman's right to choose since before it was legal.
I am bi-polar and have been on medications for that since I was 14. I became sexually active at 16 and it wasn't until I was 21 and became pregnant, that I found out how dangerous those medications are to become pregnant on. I was told that I most likely would miscarry and if I didn't the child would live a short, miserable life. I had no health insurance and it was a decision I never should have had to make.
How did other people react to your abortion?
I told no one other than close family and friends so they were supportive but I feel like it's thought of as a 'secret' that no one talks about.