I knew if I didn't do it I'd have to drop out of school and my mother would not let me stay
I found out I was pregnant just after my 18th birthday, I had suspected it but hearing it was a huge shock to me and it was something I've been afraid of ever since I was in middle school. I got my boyfriend to pick me up from the doctors and I finally broke down, he was very supportive and knew I couldn't keep the baby, he as well didn't want to have a child at the time.
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Before my abortion was a very stressful time for me, I knew that if I didn't do it I would have to drop out of school, my mother would not let me stay in the house, I would struggle very much. I kept worrying that they wouldn't do the abortion or it was too late even though I was only around 6 weeks.
When the day came I was nervous, my boyfriend was a great help through it all and I am glad he was there for me. When we got there, the staff was very understanding and knowledgable about everything I had to ask, not once did they make me feel guilty or scared.
I had a surgical abortion, the whole process took about 3 hours, the actual procedure itself took about 5 minutes, it felt like really strong cramps but overall it wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. The nurses made it a lot more comforting asking me questions about school, my job, stuff like that.
After the procedure I had to wait 10 minutes then got my depo shot[1] for contraception. When I left I didn't feel sad, angry or scared in all honesty I was relieved, I knew it wasn't the right time for me to have a baby, and the child's quality of life would suffer if I did... I felt like I made the right choice for everyone involved.
Terms mentioned in this story
- Depo-Provera
"Depo shot" refers to a brand of medroxyprogesterone acetate called Depo-Provera that is a contraceptive given by injection every three months. The contraceptive contains a hormone which stops your ovaries releasing an egg, and thickens cervical mucus to help prevent sperm from reaching the egg.
If used correctly, the contraceptive injection is more than 99% effective and is very useful for women who find it difficult to remember to take a pill at the same time every day.
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