i was 22 years old, working a retail job which is where i met my boyfriend at the time. my pregnancy came from bad sex during which he forgot to pull out. we didn’t use condoms because they impacted his arousal and withdrawal seemed to work just fine. this was that one time that it didn’t, the time it mattered. i had been on birth-control, but the pills made me feel sick and killed my libido, so i stopped taking them. we were still just kids, with no ideas about our future, and our relationship was already strained. i had two very notable examples of relationships that were maintained just for the sake of children, and they seemed horrible. i just couldn’t commit to that. and, i’ve never had a desire to have children.

in addition to the reasons stated above, my body was railing against the pregnancy. i was sick constantly, constipated, extremely fatigued, depressed, just the worst i’ve ever felt physically in my life. there was no way i could survive for another 8 months like that and still keep my job.

my mother and boyfriend drove me to the clinic and it was a good experience. the staff was very caring and gentle, and i was asleep during the procedure. i slept for at least a day after, and there was some pain, but it was completely worth it and a major relief to be rid of all of my other physical problems. i have never regretted my decision.