both my husband and i do not want children. having conceived at forty was an unhappy surprise. we both agreed to the termination (although it ultimately was my decision). because i was only nine weeks pregnant, i qualified for a medical abortion. one takes pills to induce a miscarriage. the procedure takes place at home.

the one issue i had with the whole affair was having a nurse insist that i have an rh negative injection because, you know, in case i want to have a baby sometime in the future. what part of ‘i’m forty and don’t want children’ did she not understand? i could not fathom nor would i want to conceive at, for example, 45 yrs of age, 40 was unsettling enough. in the end, i consented to the shot as it seemed i wouldn’t be able to leave her office and complete the visit resulting in my obtaining the medication needed to terminate the pregnancy.