i was 22, naive, dumb, inexperienced and in a relationship with a man 11 years older than me. i eventually went off hormonal birth control after being on it for 5+ years, because it impacted my body and my mental state in really negative ways. he lied to me and told me that he was tested for fertility and had a really low sperm count and that the doctor told him it was unlikely that he would be able to have children.

i became pregnant while i was in the middle of obtaining my university degree. this man was 11 years older than me, but constantly in debt and working a dead-end job; and even though i was a student at the time, i put in more financial contributions into the relationship than he did – i am lucky that i had a scholarship and a family that supported me.

he ended up cheating on me with someone even younger than me.

i am so thankful that i terminated that pregnancy. i completed my university degree, obtained a diploma afterwards and my career is skyrocketing now. at 22 years old, i knew nothing about the world and i was so easily manipulated – i would have not been in a good position to bring a child into the world. my family would have been so angry with me and likely not support me if i kept the child. i would not have been able to discover what i really wanted from my career and what to look for in a relationship. i would not be in a position to be able to provide for a child like i am now.

i am now completely financially independent, experienced, mature and if i needed to be, would be in a position to be able to support a child. the fact of the matter is that as i got older, i realized i have no desire to be a mother.

i have absolutely 0 regrets about my abortion. i do not feel tortured or emotional about the ‘child i lost’. it would have been worse to bring a child into the world at 22 when i did not have the life experience to care for one, the financial means to give it a good life and the desire to be a mother at all.