i was 25 and in a committed relationship. the condom broke on saturday night. i don’t know if you could get plan b over the counter in 2001 but if you could i didn’t know about it, so i waited until planned parenthood opened on monday. the pill didn’t work. i think it would have if i had been able to access it sooner. we were both sure we weren’t ready for a child and i was pretty sure i never would be.

i scheduled my abortion and went to the clinic with my boyfriend and my best friend. before the procedure they did a vaginal ultrasound to confirm the pregnancy. this was honestly the worst part of the procedure. it felt violating. as things turned out there was no heartbeat. the fetus wasn’t viable.

instead of having a painful and potentially dangerous miscarriage at an unknown time when i might have been alone and frightened; i had a safe procedure in a comfortable setting accompanied by people who loved me.

although the fetus wasn’t viable, my decision to abort would have been the same. i am very thankful that i lived in a time and place that allowed me to get the medical attention i needed and wanted.