i was just graduated from michigan state university and i found out that i was pregnant after being on the birth control pill. i was on antibiotics at the time for a stomach ulcer and for a uti and was not warned about back up birth control.

being 23 at the time, i could have gotten married. in fact, the father said he would marry me if i wanted that but i did not. my boyfriend was younger than me and incredibly immature. he wanted to be with his frat brothers and to drink all the time and i just didn’t want to be tied down to him forever.

i went to the nearest “crisis pregnancy center” not knowing that these centers are usually run by the extreme fringe of the anti-choice movement. i asked for a test and was given one by the worker there. she read the results and didn’t really want to share with me when she read the results. she told me i was not pregnant. almost a month more passed before i decided to buy a test at the pharmacy. sure enough, i was pregnant.

i was about 12 weeks along and i was scared beyond belief. i was not mentally or emotionally ready to have a child and without a job, i was not ready to care for anyone much less myself. my parents were paying for my apartment, my car and for anything else i needed since i only had a part-time job that i used to pay for books and incidentals.

i am adopted so i was scared to go to my parents. we hadn’t had many conversations about abortion but i had an idea that they would support me whatever i chose. i told my mother and dad and they were both amazingly supportive. they told me that they too didn’t think i was in the position to have a child and especially with the sometimes emotionally abusive relationship that i was in.

my dad’s teacher’s insurance paid for all but $300 of my abortion and i was grateful that they were both willing to do whatever they could to help me out. i also had a doctor that i was a nanny for who counseled me and found me help in the university town where i lived. unfortunately, the area would not do a late first trimester abortion unless the fetus had something wrong with it. i was just over 12 weeks at this time.

i found a wonderfully caring clinic in grand rapids, michigan (a very conservative town!!!) and i was treated with respect, dignity and kindness. i will never forget that day and although it was hard, i have never doubted my decision. making that hard choice gave me self confidence because i knew what i could handle and i knew that i was not ready to be a mother.

i have since gone on to have two biological daughters and i have also adopted a dear son. i also had a miscarriage so i feel like i have experienced quite a few reproductive 世界杯赛程2022赛程表中国 at a rather young age. however, even with all of my experiences, i have never doubted myself and the decision that i made for me.

when the time is right, i will tell my children about my experience and i will remind them that we live in a time where that choice may be taken away. and, i will fight for reproductive rights for all women. a person cannot know what they would do unless they have walked in a pregnant woman’s shoes. they may know what they would do for themselves but they cannot make that decision for others.

thank you for allowing me to share my story.