Two years prior to my abortion, I went with a girlfriend who had an abortion. The nurses were very nice and were very caring and made the whole procedure seem like everything would be fine -- that it was just like surgery or your period. After my girlfriend had hers, everything seemed fine. She had no problems. I guess when I found out I was pregnant, I was so scared, felt so afraid, felt like I didn’t know where to turn to so I told my boyfriend I had to do this. I guess in a way I felt like I had no other choice. I know they (nurses and doctors) would understand. But was I wrong!

I felt really alone. I felt like I needed to talk but couldn’t. When I was at the clinic all the girls that were there seemed to be so silent. It was fast. I had a general anesthesia so I don’t remember much. I didn’t have too many after-effects.

After I had my abortion I felt relief. But after 7 years of denial it finally hit me. I was so scared when I found out what an abortion really [is].  I didn’t know where to turn to at first, but eventually I found Project Rachel and they helped me start to grieve my child. I was so angry at my family and boyfriend (now husband). I felt like nobody was there for me. I was angry at the clinic personnel for saying everything would be fine. 

Support groups with women who have had abortions helped. Also therapy and Project Rachel.

[The abortion] is definitely the one thing I regret. There will always be remorse and sadness. The feeling of the loss of a child will always be there. I wish I could have known then what abortion was all about and its devastating effects on the woman. It is really a shame that lies about abortion are not taken seriously by people ([like] doctors, politicians). So many women feel that if they had more support and truth during their crisis pregnancy many lives would have been saved.