Over one-third of women of reproductive age have an abortion by the age of 45. However, women who have chosen abortion are often absent from the public debate. In order to break the silence surrounding abortion, we will be featuring real stories from real women each Wednesday on our blog. If you would like to share your story with us or have it published on our blog, go to http://www.prochoice.org/pregnant/hotline/share.html.
I am a struggling parent of three who is just getting out of an abusive divorce and was kicked out of my home. I thank the clinic and the Hotline for going out of their way to help others like me in need.
–Submitted by Matilda* through a member clinic
I wanted to tell my story to let people know that the stereotypes about who gets abortions are misleading. I am a 35-year-old Caucasian woman with a post graduate degree, and my boyfriend is educated and employed. We chose to terminate my pregnancy because we want any children we bring into the world to have the best possible chance for a good life, and right now we are not financially able to provide that. We cannot afford to get married or pay for a pregnancy/delivery because of student loans. I am a self-employed lawyer and my health insurance won’t cover prenatal or maternity expenses. I live in the Detroit area, and full-time work with benefits is very hard to find, so I also work part-time. My boyfriend only makes enough to cover his mortgage and loans.
I want people who oppose abortion rights to take a good look at how screwed up their logic is. We say we are a society that values education, but we don’t support fair wages and benefits for people who take on debt to get one! I have sacrificed a lot to achieve what I have already accomplished. I’m not going to sacrifice my children’s future by having a child I can’t support financially. I look forward to having a family when I can be the kind of mom I want to be.
¬–Submitted by Anne-Marie* through a member clinic
*Names have been changed to protect patient privacy