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| Abortion stories: From a 'sense of relief' to a 'broken heart' | Abortion stories: From a 'sense of relief' to a 'broken heart' |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| One in three women will have an abortion in their lifetime, yet it is rarely talked about. | One in three women will have an abortion in their lifetime, yet it is rarely talked about. |
| For some, making the decision can be traumatic and have a long-lasting effect. For others, it is an empowering, life-changing choice. | For some, making the decision can be traumatic and have a long-lasting effect. For others, it is an empowering, life-changing choice. |
| You have been sharing your experiences of abortion. | You have been sharing your experiences of abortion. |
| 'I felt relieved, buoyant and really happy' | 'I felt relieved, buoyant and really happy' |
| Louise in London: "When I was 23 I found out I was pregnant. I have never regretted having an abortion. It helped cement my views on not wanting children. | Louise in London: "When I was 23 I found out I was pregnant. I have never regretted having an abortion. It helped cement my views on not wanting children. |
| "At first I put my lack of period down to stress. It felt like I had really bad PMT. Then one day at work I had to lie on the floor because I was so tired. I wondered what was wrong with me, and then the penny dropped. | "At first I put my lack of period down to stress. It felt like I had really bad PMT. Then one day at work I had to lie on the floor because I was so tired. I wondered what was wrong with me, and then the penny dropped. |
| "I took a pregnancy test in my lunch hour. As soon as I saw the positive result I remember violently shaking. I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. | "I took a pregnancy test in my lunch hour. As soon as I saw the positive result I remember violently shaking. I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. |
| "A colleague who'd been trying to get pregnant was beaming when I told her. When I said it wasn't a good thing for me, she was wonderful. She just gave me a hug. | "A colleague who'd been trying to get pregnant was beaming when I told her. When I said it wasn't a good thing for me, she was wonderful. She just gave me a hug. |
| "My partner left me to deal with everything on my own. We never had a proper conversation about the abortion. My closest friends were supportive. | "My partner left me to deal with everything on my own. We never had a proper conversation about the abortion. My closest friends were supportive. |
| "My GP was matter-of-fact about it. I had two phone interviews with nurses before I went ahead. At no point did they ask me if I thought I was doing the right thing. I was certain. The procedure was excruciatingly painful because I chose not to have an anaesthetic, but it was brief. | "My GP was matter-of-fact about it. I had two phone interviews with nurses before I went ahead. At no point did they ask me if I thought I was doing the right thing. I was certain. The procedure was excruciatingly painful because I chose not to have an anaesthetic, but it was brief. |
| "When I left, the stress I'd been feeling in the run-up to the procedure was gone. I felt relieved, buoyant and really happy." | "When I left, the stress I'd been feeling in the run-up to the procedure was gone. I felt relieved, buoyant and really happy." |
| 'It broke my heart' | 'It broke my heart' |
| Beth (not her real name) lives in England: "I was 17 when I got pregnant and I had an abortion in February. | Beth (not her real name) lives in England: "I was 17 when I got pregnant and I had an abortion in February. |
| "I'm pregnant again now and this time I'm going to keep it and I'm excited about it. | "I'm pregnant again now and this time I'm going to keep it and I'm excited about it. |
| "It was one Christmas, everyone was drinking and I just kept being sick. I thought it was because we were drinking but someone joked that I was pregnant and then I found out I was. | "It was one Christmas, everyone was drinking and I just kept being sick. I thought it was because we were drinking but someone joked that I was pregnant and then I found out I was. |
| "My boyfriend didn't really say anything about it and let me make the decision about what to do. My mum was very relaxed and calm and said I should do what I wanted to do. | "My boyfriend didn't really say anything about it and let me make the decision about what to do. My mum was very relaxed and calm and said I should do what I wanted to do. |
| "But a lot of people kept telling me that I was too young and not ready to have a baby. I felt very pressured into having an abortion. It broke my heart. | "But a lot of people kept telling me that I was too young and not ready to have a baby. I felt very pressured into having an abortion. It broke my heart. |
| "I had a breakdown soon afterwards because I was so upset. I felt I'd made the wrong decision but I couldn't do anything about it. | "I had a breakdown soon afterwards because I was so upset. I felt I'd made the wrong decision but I couldn't do anything about it. |
| "My doctor gave me medication and counselling. I have already had depression and anxiety but this just made it worse. | "My doctor gave me medication and counselling. I have already had depression and anxiety but this just made it worse. |
| "Now that I'm pregnant again, my mum and my boyfriend think I should make up my own mind. | "Now that I'm pregnant again, my mum and my boyfriend think I should make up my own mind. |
| "My baby is due in April and I'm really looking forward to it." | "My baby is due in April and I'm really looking forward to it." |
| 'There needs to be education that abortion is OK' | 'There needs to be education that abortion is OK' |
| Harriet in South West England: "It was a bad experience but you learn from these things. | Harriet in South West England: "It was a bad experience but you learn from these things. |
| "I was 20 when I had an abortion. | "I was 20 when I had an abortion. |
| "When I see my friends' kids or nephews I think that I could have had a three-month-old of my own now. | "When I see my friends' kids or nephews I think that I could have had a three-month-old of my own now. |
| "When I first found out I was pregnant I was happy and very protective - I thought this is my baby and no one can take it away. | "When I first found out I was pregnant I was happy and very protective - I thought this is my baby and no one can take it away. |
| "My best friend's mum offered to help me and said that I was part of their family but I wanted my own family to say something like that. | "My best friend's mum offered to help me and said that I was part of their family but I wanted my own family to say something like that. |
| "I didn't have much choice. My dad said it was up to me but he couldn't support me financially. It was true, he was just being honest. I felt it was selfish for me to have a child. A child should have the best upbringing possible. | "I didn't have much choice. My dad said it was up to me but he couldn't support me financially. It was true, he was just being honest. I felt it was selfish for me to have a child. A child should have the best upbringing possible. |
| "The father didn't want anything to do with it. I feel angry at him for putting me in the position he did. It was like I was forced into a corner and not able to have this baby because I couldn't afford it. | "The father didn't want anything to do with it. I feel angry at him for putting me in the position he did. It was like I was forced into a corner and not able to have this baby because I couldn't afford it. |
| "It was very upsetting waking up from the anaesthetic. I was over three months so had to have a surgical procedure. It was awful. I woke up wanting to know what had happened to my body, but also not wanting to know. | "It was very upsetting waking up from the anaesthetic. I was over three months so had to have a surgical procedure. It was awful. I woke up wanting to know what had happened to my body, but also not wanting to know. |
| "I was crying all the time and now I feel this is what I've done to my first child. | "I was crying all the time and now I feel this is what I've done to my first child. |
| "The NHS gave me lots of support and lots of time to reconsider. There needs to be education that abortion is OK and it's a woman's choice but there also has to be more support. | "The NHS gave me lots of support and lots of time to reconsider. There needs to be education that abortion is OK and it's a woman's choice but there also has to be more support. |
| "There is so much stigma attached to it." | "There is so much stigma attached to it." |
| Advice and information about abortion | Advice and information about abortion |
| Marie Stopes UK | Marie Stopes UK |
| Life | |
| British Pregnancy Advisory Service | British Pregnancy Advisory Service |
| Brook | Brook |
| Sexual health charity FPA | Sexual health charity FPA |
| Produced by Annie Flury and Sherie Ryder | Produced by Annie Flury and Sherie Ryder |