I'm still recovering from what happened and want girls to be aware of the severity of the situation with medical abortion
I decided to share my story based on the fact that every page that I had read didn't seem anything like what I went through. I found out I was pregnant about 5 and a half weeks in.
At 6 weeks I went to my local sexual health clinic to take a urine test which confirmed the home test I had taken. At the clinic I was nervous, the nurse ended up being very nice and non-judgmental, making it a lot easier to deal with the initial blow. The nurse scheduled me for a blood test and ultrasound on the same day.
Read more:
- stories about abortion generally
- stories about abortion at 6 weeks of pregnancy
- medical abortion stories
- UK abortion stories
The blood test felt the same as any other blood test I'd gone for, it was the ultrasound that hit me hard, I saw the fetus and the technician asked me if I wanted pictures which I, of course, said no to.
This was my first pregnancy and I'm young and not ready for a baby for at least 4-5 more years, financially and mentally. The nurse explained my options to me and I chose a medical abortion [other accounts of medical abortion], the entire reason I'm writing this is to try to make sure that anyone that chooses this option is aware of what happens.
3 days later I went to the gynaecologist/obstetrician and learned a bit more about what would happen. What I thought would happen and what was explained to me was that I would take a pill and the abortion would take place at home, be mildly painful and be a personal/private event.
The reality is, is that it was private and in my home and that no one needed to know what was really happening.
At my first appointment, I got a needle in my bum which apparently stopped the growth of the fetus, I was instructed to take 8 pills a week later vaginally, 4 on the first night, 4 on the second.
My boyfriend was there for me through the whole thing but the really terrifying and tragic part was the first night which no one prepared me for.
After my first round of pills which were taken vaginally not orally like the nurse had made me originally think. I had extreme stomach pain. The pain was so severe I couldn't leave my bathroom for four hours. I kept going in and out of the shower as the hot water seemed to be the only thing that helped and finally, after roughly 3 hours, I passed what I believe was the placenta and/or fetus and finally the pain went away but mentally it worsened.
Seeing what had just come from my body made the entire experience 100 times worse and actually made it clear to me what was happening. I still don't know exactly what it was that I saw but when I passed whatever it was the pain went away, and I couldn't help but stare at what had just left my body, I hope so much that no one ever has to see this. I hope you pass it in the toilet like what I read and thought would happen for me.
I wish I had done an in-hospital abortion, the idea of doing it at home seems like a better option because of the privacy you can have but please know of the pain you can have over the next week if you choose to not take the painkillers offered and be aware of what the nurses won't let you know of.
Sorry for the absolute mess this story is, I'm just still recovering from what happened and want girls to be aware of the severity of the situation they can face with a medical abortion that I wasn't made aware of when I wish I was.
I thought it would be better this way. The problem was I didn't ask enough questions at my appointments and I wasn't prepared. Educate yourself on your options and if you have someone to support you with what you're going through explore all of your options and figure out what will be best for you.
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